Forever Is About To Start
by Babi
Summary: She wanted him to ask her to stay. He asked. He was late. She left. He was alone. Will Dan and Serena find a way back to each other?
1. The Loneliness

* * *

**Forever is About to Start**

**Chapter 1 - The Loneliness**

* * *

Serena looked to her cell in her hands. _Dan is calling, Aaron is falling for me. He is perfect for me. He didn't want to read my files. No Georgie, no Peter, no I'm from another world. He is perfect for me and he is falling for me._ She thinks as she ignores Dan's call turning around to kiss Aaron.

Serena had made many mistakes in her life and she was really willing to make her next chapters right. Dan had helped her in the past year and she had learnt from him that she could be good. She just couldn't be good enough for him. No matter how hard she tried who she was wrong for who he was. She could love him for the rest of her life but she knew sometimes love is not enough and now it was her mother's turn. She had waited more than 20 years to be with the love of her life and she couldn't deprive her mom from this. Not again.

She has been considerate and thoughtful and it showed her she was in the right path.

* * *

Dan was on his bed when Jenny stormed in his room.

"Dan, Dan, dad is not with Lily he said he won't ever be. This is your chance to be with Serena" said an excited Jenny

"She wants to be with her boyfriend" Dan said looking to the ceiling

"How do you know that? She begged you to ask her to stay" she said sitting in the edge of his bed by his side

"Maybe that is what she wants to want. She told him she is going with him. They will leave tomorrow morning and there is nothing I can do about it. End of story"

"You should try to call her at least" said Jenny really feeling sorry for her brother

"I did but she certainly ignored my call. Her phone rings 14 times before reaching her voice mail. It rang only 7. She was probably with him and chose to stay with him" he said getting his pillow and throwing in his face

"Did you leave her a message?"

"No, she already made up her mind, there is nothing I can do, I won't pursue someone else's girlfriend" he said surely

"She is not just someone's girlfriend. She is your one true love Dan, you love her, she loves you, that Aaron guy shouldn't be between you"

"And he is not Jenny, I ensure you, now if you don't mind I will try some sleep"

"Sure" she said taking quickly the pillow off his face to kiss his cheek and leave the room

He pushed the pillow tight against his face to avoid the tears to fall. He wouldn't cry for her and it was his fault she was leaving to Buenos Aires with a random guy. He could have stopped her and it wasn't fair to blame her now. He pushed Aaron on her arms and now he had to live with it.

* * *

"When do you leave?" asked Eric from the couch when Serena entered the suite

"What?" her voice cracked

"Mom told me you are going to travel to Buenos Aires before she left to the station"

She could see he was hurt. He was hurt by Bart's death, by Chuck's pain, by Chuck's reaction, by his family pain but he was mainly hurt because he was left behind alone when everyone else seemed to be recovered so fast. Well except for Chuck.

"I am sorry Eric. I'm so selfish. I had a lot of things happening in my life but I didn't forget you, I'm sorry, I'll call Aaron" she said hugging him guiltily

"No, go Serena, if you want to go, just go, I'll be fine" he said with tears in his eyes

"No, it is not right. I'm trying to be a good person to my mother, to Aaron, to Dan" she said almost whispering Dan's name "but nobody else deserves it as you do, I'm not going I will talk to Aaron and if he really is falling for me he will understand"

"No Serena, go, you have been through a lot in the last couple of years you deserve to go, I heard Buenos Aires is beautiful. You need to breathe new air. All of us need. Mom is going to be fine, I'm going to be fine and you are going to be fine as well. You need this" he said honestly to his big sister

"But you need me" she said

"You are lucky someone invited you I won't take a 'no' as answer, go" he said hugging her

"I had an idea" she told to him

"Is it a Serena Serena idea or a Serena Blair idea?" he asked seeing the naughty look she had on her face

"It is just the perfect idea" she said jumping out the couch and getting her cell on her purse.

Eric knew she was up to something that couldn't be good but when he listened to her conversation he knew for sure. He tried to stop her but stop Serena Van der Woodsen was quite hard.

* * *

Dan woke up in the next morning and found his house empty. He took several hours to finally fall asleep but when he finally did he took other several hours to wake up. He looked in the clock in the kitchen and it showed 11:55am. He was really lost in time.

He got himself a cup of coffee and got his laptop. Maybe Gossip Girl had something good to say, something like Aaron was left in the airport or even Serena. He couldn't believe he was thinking this kind of thing. Since when he turned this guy that wished bad for people? Since a beautiful blonde stole his heart and gave him the chance to steal hers as well. He thought he had her heart. Maybe he was wrong.

His thoughts were interrupted when Jenny stormed in the house.

"Hey" she said passing by his said, her eyes catching Gossip Girl website in his laptop

"Hey, where is-" he answered but she cut him off

"What are you reading in GG site?" she asked curious

"On nothing, just checked if they didn't say anything horrible and totally untrue about me or dad" he lied

"Let me see if it says where Eric is" she said turning the computer to her

"He is not at home?" Dan asked in hope to learn something about Serena

"No he is not. Their maid said no one is in town. Not Lily, nor Chuck, nor Eric"

"She didn't know where he was?" he asked maybe Serena left Aaron and traveled with her mother and brother

"She said Lily never came home since yesterday as well as Chuck and that though Eric and Serena were there, she left very early in the morning with suitcases to spend a year abroad and Eric left about 11:00am with one single suitcase. I still can't believe I lost him for 10 minutes! She didn't ask where he was going, he didn't say though she said wherever he was going it was his sister idea because she heard Serena excitedly yelling and jumping last night"

"Oh" was everything Dan was able to say

"I think she found a place for him and his boyfriend to go. Anyway I just wanted to check if he was okay"

"And she is probably on her way to South America" he said contemplatively

"I'm sorry Dan"

"No, it is alright. Do you know where dad is?"

"He said he would leave for a walk. He is acting weirdly since he came back from his conversation with Lily. Do you think he was going to travel with her? There is a suitcase in the counter" she said

"I don't know, he didn't talk to me, he just left when I arrived from _my_ walk"

"Well, I'm going to work on some sketches. We talk later" she said leaving him and his computer

_

* * *

_

She went.

The last hope he had for her to still believe that their first night was the greatest night of her life was now dead. Not that he thought a night with Aaron will surpass what they had but it would mean she was really over him and was ready to have a new greatest life of her life. God knows how many others wonderful nights someone else will have with her. Aaron was a lucky guy and now Dan was nothing but jealous and envy.

He felt like he was Lonely Boy again, the difference he never felt really lonely before Serena and now his world was desert.

At least now he felt so bad that he could write. Depression and sadness definitely produce some good lines and he was thankful he at least had his words. He closed his laptop, got a pen and a notebook and walked to his room.

He didn't have Serena anymore but he would have their memories forever and he could write down the life he dreamed to have with her now that this life was nothing but a dream for him.

* * *

_A/N: I know this is not what you guys may expect and that Josh already makes 'an excellent job' torturing us with DS apart. But the truth is I can't write bright and shinny stories. I like the drama, I like the angst but I have plans to make up for you in great style not so late. So if you are patient and want to follow me in this story, be my guest._

_Reviews are always welcomed._


	2. The Gift

* * *

**Forever is About to Start**

**Chapter 2 - The Gift**

* * *

The week passed painfully slow for Dan. He had been in Hudson with Alison and Jenny during Christmas. They always used to be together in the Christmas Eve and though he loved this for his whole life, after the night he had with Serena last year, all he wanted was to be with her all Christmases of his life.

On the 24th he received a little package on his house. It was Serena's gift. He didn't know if she had bought it before Eleanor's wedding or after it but it was special to him. She got him a snow globe with a snowman inside with its arms up like it is playing with the snow falling. It was a cute gift and had a card attached.

_Because Christmas without snow is not Christmas. _

_Wish you snowing Christmas Eve for the rest of your life. _

_Love, _

_Serena._

He didn't buy anything to her. Bart death and all things that happened prior to Christmas filled his mind and he didn't have time to buy her a present though his original plan was to relive their last Christmas. Maybe not exactly in the same place but definitely with her. Anywhere with Serena was already his best gift, regardless of what they would do. Thinking about it now sounded selfish, after all the gift was for her, not for him. But she remembered of him and her present was as sweet as her skin, words, her lips. _How I miss touch her, how I miss her smell, how I miss her giggles._

He didn't know what he could give her but now he had a reason to look after her when she is back in town. He wanted something special to show her how much he loved her. It had to be simple and special and though he passed the last three days thinking about it, nothing came out.

He wanted something special to her as hers had been for him. She had a way to give him the best gifts. But what could he give to her? He didn't want to give her another letter, though he knows for sure his letter of 12-27-07 would melt her heart but he didn't have a right to give it to her while she was dating someone else. She loved ice cream and vespas and Christmas trees but none of these seemed like the perfect gift for her. She also loved the Central Park and he would give anything to spend another day with her on their favorite place but that was out of question as well. Tired of think he decided to go for a walk, maybe with fresh air on his face he could think about something.

* * *

He walked in the neighborhood and in the malls but nothing fit. Feeling like he failed on her again he led to the Central Park and watched the kids playing with their parents, the passionate couples sat in the grass. It was bittersweet to watch their happiness and remember the many times they were this happy.

One of the couples popped on his sight. A year ago he could never imagine his best friend will be dating someone like Nate Archibald. Nate was a good guy but just like himself with Serena he couldn't imagine Vanessa with someone of the UES.

Quickly Vanessa and Nate also saw Dan and walked towards him

"Hey, Dan" said Vanessa hugging Dan

"Hey, Miss-nowhere-to-be-found" he replied

"Dan". "Nate" said both nodding their heads

"Sorry I had a lot of work and then there was Christmas and now there is New Year's Eve. It is a lot of things" said Vanessa wrapping her arm around Nate's waist as he already had done to hers

"Yeah, I know how it is" he simply answered

"What are you doing here?" she asked

"Just off to take a walk" he said

"Do you want to go with me and Nate? We are going to stop by in a toy' story to buy a present to a boy I sponsored in the holidays"

"Oh, in the orphanage. I forgot we used to do it every year" he said

"Last year you are so busy with Serena and I was so busy with Blair threatening me that I decided to do it all by myself. This year though Nate is going with me, he sponsored a little girl as well" she said smiling to her boyfriend

"Didn't you have to give them the gifts before Christmas?" Dan asked curious

"We spent the night with them, got a delicious supper together and told that we would give them the presents today. Stores were crazy before Christmas and they cherish much more someone's company and love than the presents"

"Come with us Dan. Do you have anything better to do than watch a true and innocent child smile?" Nate asked

"Not really" said Dan agreeing to go with them

"So let's go" said Vanessa and the three of them left

* * *

They went to one of those big stores that every child dreams to own and Vanessa quickly found the present for her boy.

Nate wanted to give a doll to his girl but he didn't want a mini Miley Cirus or Barbies. He wanted something like his mother rag doll that her father gave her when she was 5 and that she still kept. But the only he found were Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy.

Vanessa remembered about a fair she knew of hand-made stuff that would certainly have a beautiful rag doll for Nate to give to Lisa.

"Shouldn't we buy a backup doll just in case you don't find anything you like?" asked Vanessa

"There is this small toy store in the way to the orphanage. If I don't find anything in the fair I stop by there and we buy anything" he said

"Okay" said Vanessa and they led to the cash register

* * *

Dan remembered of this fair. Vanessa used to go there a lot when they were younger. It was one of her favorite places. She found earnings, necklaces and all sort of trinkets. She bought scarves, tiaras, purses and all kind of stuff a woman on her age likes to buy.

It didn't take them too much to find some toy stories. There were wooden cars, rag dolls, board games and toys they didn't imagine still existed like wooden tops.

Dan was distracted walking through the stands as Vanessa and Nate look for the doll when he spotted the perfect gift for Serena. He would never think about it, in fact, no one would because he didn't know such thing existed and was so Serena's. She wasn't a child anymore to have toys but he knew for sure she will love it.

It was a blonde porcelain doll, just like Serena with lightly curly hair, green eyes and a childish smile. The doll was beautiful. It wore a light pink dress with big beige balls. Though it was a doll it clearly wasn't for children. The doll didn't wear a gown like little girls liked. It just seemed a lot with the dress Serena wore the day they got stuck in the elevator except for the color.

He talked to the owner of the store and he said he makes these dolls exactly to boyfriends give to their girlfriends. He usually only make to order but one night him and his family were taking a walk and they passed in front of the Palace in the exact moment a beautiful blond young woman stepped out a taxi and headed inside the fancy hotel. He described to Dan her outfit and it was the same dress she wore that night. His seven years old daughter was just enchanted by the woman. She said she looked like a princess but she seemed sad and that princesses like her should always smile. She asked her father to do a doll like her with a big smile and a pink dress.

In that moment his daughter entered the stand and saw Dan holding her little Serena.

"You can't buy this" she said

"Sarah, I already explained him, don't be rude"

"Sorry, daddy" the little girl answered

"Is it yours?" asked Dan gently to her

"She is a princess. She was sad but I asked my dad to make her a pink dress. Every time I'm sad my mom lets me wear my favorite pink dress. My pink dress always makes me happy" she said with a grin on her face

"Do you think she would like to have this doll?" asked Dan letting the man confused "Maybe she will be happier"

"Do you think?" Sarah asked

"I do"

"But I don't know her"

"She is my princess" said Dan "She was really sad that day because we had a fight but I think she will be very happy when I give it to her"

"She is not your girlfriend, you are lying because you want my doll" snapped her

"Sir, the doll is really not for sale" the man said calmly

"If I prove to you she is my girlfriend, will you let me have the door?" asked Dan to Sarah crouching to be in the same level as her

"How can you prove?" she asked

Dan opened his cell phone and scrolled through the many pictures he had stored. He opened a folder called Serena and showed to Sarah a lot of pictures of them and of Serena alone

"Is that the princess you met?" he asked

"Look dad, it is the princess" said her taking Dan's phone and showing to her father

"If you can't sell me this one, please, just make a replica to me" asked Dan standing up

"If you promise you will make the princess happy forever you can buy this one" said Sarah giving him his cell phone back

"Are you sure sweet?" asked her father and she nodded

Dan lowered his body again and said to her, teary

"This is the only thing I want to do in my life, I promise"

"Okay" she said and with that Dan got the perfect Christmas gift

He also bought a card made of dried rose petals and met Nate and Vanessa to go visit the orphanage. For the first time in that week he had a genuine smile on his face. One only Serena could make.

* * *

_A/N: First of all. I have a thing for snow globes. An addiction or something. I loooove it so much I tried to make some to give to my guests on my wedding but there was few time to made them and it didn't happen but the next celebration I'll have I'll give it. Since I was a kid I was fascinated for it so that's why Serena gave it to Dan and also I think it has a great meaning for him. The doll, oh the doll, I remember when a great friend of mine went to visit his mother and got me this porcelain doll when I was 16. It was so special to me and it wasn't even a doll made based on me!!! I hope you liked my choices of gifts. I want to build a special story to have them back for good, to strengthen their love and they never get apart again._

_I also know there was no Serena here, but I think she was very present all the time and I seriously won't describe her trip with Aaron but you will know how it was, believe you will like the outcome. ;)_

_Thanks for anyone that reviewed the first chapter. Thanks Leigh *hug* and the other anonymous people, hope you still like it. In fact I hope you like it more now :)_

_Also I just posted another chapter because I had written two, I won't lie to you, I don't update this fast but as I had it done, I posted, I don't hold chapters waiting for reviews either. I'll probably update once by week but everytime I have a chapter I'll post :)_

_Barbara_


	3. The Eve

* * *

**Forever is About to Start**

**Chapter 3 - The Eve**

* * *

It was New Year's Eve and though he thought Serena would already be back in town, she wasn't. He didn't want to believe she was in a romantic city as Buenos Aires with someone else. It hurt him and he tried to ignore that by this time she and Aaron have already had sex.

He didn't have plans for the night and he just decided to be at home with his dad who wasn't in the mood of parties either. Rufus never explained to him why he and Lily couldn't be together but just like him, he was savoring the pain of loving a van der Woodsen and can't have her.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" asked Jenny running out of her bedroom

"I'm sure" said Dan "Give my best 2009 wishes to Blair and Eleanor" he completed

"Mine too" said Rufus from the kitchen

"Okay, I should go before I get late. I can't believe Eleanor invited me" said Jenny excited

"You made her wedding jacket, of course she would invite you" said Rufus faking a smile

"Well, I should go, bye, happy new year dad" she said hugging Rufus

"Happy new year, daughter" he said

"Happy new year, Dan" she said hugging him as well

"Happy new year, have fun" he said

Before they broke apart their embrace she whispered on his ear "I'll let you know if she is there"

"Thank you"

"Any plans?" asked Rufus after Jenny left

"Nothing. You?" asked Dan

"Maybe we could watch an old movie" suggested Rufus

"That sounds good" said Dan now him faking a smile

* * *

"What is she doing here?" asked Penelope

"My mother invited her. Fortunately she didn't bring her father and Cabbage Patch" said Blair rolling her eyes

A few minutes later she excused herself and let her friends to take few words with her mother

On her way Jenny stopped her "Happy New Year, Blair" she said with a sincere smile

"Thanks, you too" said Blair in a hush

"Do you have news on Chuck, is he alright?" asked Jenny as Blair passed by her

Blair stopped on her heels and closed her eyes. She didn't want to show to anyone that she missed Chuck and was worried about him but she was surprised by Jenny question. She turned around and looked to Jenny. Sadness apparent on her eyes

"No. He is nowhere to be found. No one knows about him. I hope he is fine I let him a New Year greeting" said her minimizing the letter she had texted to him minutes before she walked down stairs and not mentioning the hundreds of text messages she sent him since her mother wedding.

"He will be fine. He is probably hurt by his loss. I'm sure in time he will come back and you will be the first person he will want to see" said Jenny nicely

Blair nodded and turned to leave again when Jenny inquired one more question

"What about Serena and Eric? I came to visit them but the weren't home" she asked

"Serena is somewhere on South America and she will come back on Friday. I have no idea where Eric is. Now if you excuse me I have to go find my mom" she said

"Sure" nodded Jenny

* * *

_She is still in Argentina. She will come back on Friday. J_

Dan was relieved he finally had news on Serena. Even if she was staying more than 10 days with Aaron on Argentina, he was happy she will be back within two days.

"More wine?" asked Rufus

"No, I think both of us already had enough. I'm going to bed before I have a headache and wake up tomorrow with a hangover after drinking with my dad"

"I'm not even close to be drunk" said Rufus honestly

"Yeah, I know, a rock start might have be more alcohol tolerance than a novel writer" said Dan smirking

"How is the writing?" asked Rufus serving himself another glass of wine

"Fine, broken hearts are great to writing" he said

"I know, the best songs I ever wrote was after Lily broke up with me and disappeared" Rufus confessed

"Can I ask what happened between you?" asked Dan

"Back then or now?" his father inquired

"Both, if you feel willing to let me know"

"It is not that they are any different. What happened now was just me finding the truth of what happened before" said Rufus sipping his wine

"Secrets can never be good. I learnt this from Serena"

"No, they can't, especially if they involved a child you never knew about, that was born in France and gave to adoption" Rufus said leaving the room straight to the bathroom letting a shocked Dan behind "A boy, by the way" said him on his way to wash his face mixing water and tears

Dan felt his father needed a moment to recover of such serious confession and left to his bedroom. He knew his father will look for him to explain it better if he felt up to. He gave Rufus the space he needed to face this chocking reality.

* * *

Though Jenny thought that spending New Year's Eve at Eleanor's would be for the best she felt like she was out of her place. She didn't know anyone and Blair and her friends weren't more receptive than they had been back on Constance. For awhile a young man distracted her but not feeling compelled to continue the small talk she excused herself and went to the kitchen where she found Dorota wearing a beautiful white outfit.

"Happy New Year, Dorota" said her hugging the nice woman

"Happy New Year, Miss Jenny" she has with an honest smile

Jenny finally found herself comfortable and talked to Dorota and also James, Eleanor's driver.

"S, I can't hear you, let me got to somewhere calmer" said Blair leaving the living room and heading to the kitchen not realizing Jenny was there with Dorota and James

"Hey S, now it is much better, are you on a Carnival or something?" Blair asked a bit too loud

"Are you watching Tango? Don't they know it is New Year's Eve, not Tango night?" asked a perplexed Blair

"How is everything? Why did you take so long to call me again? I don't hear from you since Christmas' Eve. By the way I'm totally returning that Channel dress and getting something else. You know I look pale on light pink but thanks anyway"

"Now details. How is your trip? Is Aaron as good in the deed as he seems to be?" asked Blair with a naughty smile and still with her back to Dorota and Jenny

"I can't believe you won't tell me anything now. I know it is best to tell this in person and that he is by your side now but you could at least share a nasty detail I can't wait for two days, this city is just boring when you are not around I have nothing to do to spend my days."

"Fine, fine, you are no fun, S"

"No, still no news" said Blair losing all excitement of her voice when Serena asked about Chuck

"I hope so."

"I miss you S, happy New Year"

"Thank you, bye" Blair said and left the room without ever look in the back of the kitchen where Jenny evaluated if anything was worth texting her brother. Choosing to take the decision at home and turned back to her conversation with James and Dorota.

* * *

Dan was laid in his bed, thinking about he father just told him. Suddenly his situation with Serena seemed almost insignificant. Trying to elaborate something to say to his father he frightened by the soft knock in the door.

"Come in" he said

"Sorry, I had to… refresh" his voice cracked

"Dad" said Dan standing up "I don't know what to say. This is just overwhelming" said Dan shaking his head and rambling

"It is and there is nothing to say" he said accepting the hug his son was motioning to give him

"What you are going to do now? Look for him?" Dan asked unsure

"I didn't think of it yet. He is probably 20 years old, I don't think I have a right to look for him now. Maybe he doesn't know he is adopted" reflecting on his possibilities

"Will you be able to live with this doubt?"

"I don't know, we loved each other so much. I felt like we could fight the world" said Rufus, his eyes brightening in face of what his life with Lily could have been

Both men stayed in silence for some minutes until Rufus finally interrupted it

"And why are you at home, watching old movies with your old guy? I have a good reason, do you?"

"It just seems like is nothing compared to what you have going in your life dad"

"I'm older son, my life is supposed to be harder than yours"

Dan was still on silence when Rufus broke the silence again

"Is it about Serena?" he asked

"How could it not be? Van der Woodsen women are handful, aren't they?" he said unsure, trying to mock themselves

"And worthy as far as I know"

"You still think Lily is worthy?" asked Dan really surprised by this father reaction

"She made a great mistake, not back there, but when we met again but she is a great woman, people are entitled to make mistakes"

"It is just I still love Serena, I never stopped but now she is in South America with Aaron"

"If you love Serena, son, don't let her go. They say in your age we don't know what love is but the truth is I did. What I felt for Lily I never felt for anyone else in my life and I never stopped feeling. I loved your mother, I really did and most of the years we spent together I was happy with her and loved her. But it didn't compare to what I felt for Lily and even now knowing that she never gave the chance to know my child and to decide his future, I still love her because a love like this never goes always completely. It just sleeps while you try to ignore but it never goes away. I will never be able to forgive her nor to be with her but I will never be able to stop loving her either. And if what you feel for Serena is this intense and you have this answer, then don't let anything nor anyone be in your way. Don't waste your time with anyone else and don't let her waste. If she can't see it now, than you need to have the vision for the two of you"

"I'm sorry for you and Lily, dad, I really am" he said as a tear rolled down his cheek

"Don't be son, we made our choices and we are dealing with the consequences, just don't make the same mistakes we did. If anything my story with her will bring you and Serena happiness then it was worth all this pain and disappointment and I would take it all over again if it makes a way to your happiness or Jenny's" he said hugging Dan

"Thank you dad, I love you." he said not holding his tears anymore

"I love you too, Daniel" said Rufus sharing his son emotions.

* * *

_AN: First, I don't know if James exists and if, in this case, James is his name, in my world he exists, lol._

_This was a very hard chapter to write and I hope you liked. I know you will like about the terrifying trip Aaron and Serena had._

_I can't really thank you guys for the very nice reviews. Hope you liked this too._

_Barbara_


	4. The Ordinary

**

* * *

**

Forever is About to Start

**Chapter 4 - The Ordinary**

* * *

January 2nd, 2009.

Serena landed in New York after spending eleven days with her boyfriend in _porteño_ ground. What nobody else knew is that they were never alone.

"Hey S" greeted Blair

"I can't believe you couldn't wait me to go home" Serena said rolling her eyes

"I just need to listen your adventures, this city is boring when you are not around" said Blair looking around, trying to find Aaron

"He is getting our luggage" she said

"Tell him I will give you a hide to home" Blair said excited

"B this is not gonna be as fun as you think" Serena said as Eric joined them

"Hi Blair" he said with a smile on his face

"Hi Eric" she said confused and looked back to Serena

_

* * *

_

Flashback - December, 22nd, 2008

"_Hey Aaron" she greeted her boyfriend in the phone_

"_Look I was thinking if you could make an additional reservation? I want Eric to join us" she said straightly_

"_Okay, let me know if you find anything. Even if it is a later flight" she completed_

"_Thank you, you are the best boyfriend ever" she said excited and hung up the phone_

"_You have this night to make your suitcase" she said turning back to her brother that was trying unsuccessfully stop her "As you said, I take no 'no' as answer. Now go get your clothes" she said seeing his thankful eyes to her_

"_Thanks, sis" he said hugging her _

* * *

"Eric joined me and Aaron" Serena said

"And you didn't even start to listen about the travel of hell" smirked Eric walking towards Aaron to help him

"What hell, Serena?" Blair asked incredulous

"He is my brother, he was alone, you know what he already been through, I couldn't let him alone" said a guilty Serena

"S, this is the perfect chance for us to really be in the same family. You can be my sister" said Blair in disbelief that Serena took her brother to her romantic holidays' trip

"Sorry B, but it is not like Aaron and I broke up" Serena half smiled

"Well, I can't wait to know the details of you great family getaway" said Blair rolling her eyes

"Hey, baby" said Serena to Aaron as he and Eric joined them "Blair is here and she will take us home" said Serena uncomfortable

"Hi, brother" Blair said showing no excitement "I got them, mom and Cyrus are waiting for you at home"

"Thanks, Blair" he said nicely

"See you later?" he asked to Serena and motioning to kiss her but she turned her face and he kissed her cheek

"I don't know, call me later, I'm tired, three hours stuck on Mexico didn't help exactly and neither no sleep in the past nineteen hours" she said

"Okay" he said leaving

"You totally blew our chance S" said an annoyed Blair

Serena shrugged and in her eyes was written _I'm sorry_

They headed outside the airport letting Eric with more than 6 suitcases to push. He wouldn't believe they did it but after all they were Serena and Blair

* * *

Blair barely entered the apartment and got Serena on her bedroom.

"What are you doing S?" she asked annoyed

"Trying to get some rest of a tiring flight?" Serena pretended to be oblivious

"You know what I'm talking about. Why are you sabotaging your relationship with Aaron?"

"I am not" said Serena inconvincibly

"Serena, don't even try, I'm Blair Waldorf, I can't be fooled, not even by you"

"Eric was feeling alone and he really felt Bart's death I couldn't have him all by himself. My mom is on hone-- she is traveling and he felt alone. You should see his eyes when he asked me when I was leaving and you know Eric. I couldn't let him alone" she said honestly

"Is that the only reason?" asked Blair suspiciously lifting one of her eye brows

"What else could it be?" said Serena pretending to get something on her closet to don't face Blair

"I don't know. I never really believe Cabbage Patch was on my mom's wedding because of Jenny"

"He was" said Serena avoiding eye contact

"So why are you not looking at me?"

"I talked to him that morning. I don't know what I was thinking. I wanted him to ask me to stay but he said he wouldn't" confessed the blonde

"What? Why?" Blair asked disappointed

"I don't know Blair. He said our first time was the best night of his life and I said it was mine too" she said lowering her eyes to the scarf she got out of her closet

"Was it?" Blair asked

"Was yours with Chuck?" Serena asked back

"Don't change the topic here. This is about you, not me or Chuck"

"Of course it was B" she sighed

"So what? You were in love with him S and there was that corny snow thing you did to him. It was amazing but you will fall in love again and will have fantastic nights of love, especially with someone let's say, like my brother? It is on our blood. He is so romantic. Times Square kiss; candle light dinners; Christmas on Buenos Aires." Blair tried to make a point shaking her hands in the air and sighing

"He is not your blood brother, B" said Serena smirking slightly

"I wouldn't let my mother marry with someone that wouldn't have a compatible blood. He is romantic, sensible, hot and fancy. You were his muse, S"

"I was Dan's first"

"Is it really important to you? He was a virgin, so what?" said Blair

"No, I mean I was his muse first"

"How come, did Cabbage Patch got a painting or photography course to improve his resume to Yale that I don't know about?" mocked Blair

"He is writer, B. Remember Vanessa's perfect Christmas present? It was about me, about the first time he met me. I told you this."

"So what? He wrote some cheesy lines about you, half males in the world would, Serena" Blair rolled her eyes

"I was special for him. And everything about Dan is special for me. I will never forget him and I will never be the same. He changed me Blair" Serena said, teary

"Of course he did, you turned into this boring in love average teenager girl, now you are back, exuberant as you was born to be"

"I didn't need to be this exuberant, smoking, hot, sensual blonde for him to love me. I could be this but I also could be this woman that laughs like a perfect four years old. A woman that could be with someone like him and that also could be best friends with someone like you. A woman that for the first time in her life didn't excuse herself to be who she was instead of just pretend that she doesn't care and have that crazy life I had." she couldn't hold her tears anymore so she let them fall freely from her eyes "Because I could interrupt him as many times as I wanted and he would still love me because he loved me despite any of my flaws and dirty past. I felt loved B, in a way no one was ever able to love me" said a sobbing Serena

"I hate Georgina even more now" Blair said hugging her best friend

"I wasn't ready" she murmured "To give up... on something like this... I wasn't... ready to... give up on... us. I was there with Aaron and all I could think was about this call from him that I ignored, probably trying to make me stay . He asked me before you met us in the living room, he asked me to stay... but I couldn't B, I can't" she said sobbing harder as she cried on her friend' shoulder

"Why? If he loves you and you love him, why can't you?" Blair said forgetting her arguments, heart broken by the sight of her best friend in her arms

"Because I can't be broken again. Not by him. I got over all those things of my past Blair but I couldn't get over the pain he caused me. I didn't have strength. It torn my heart. No, it torn my soul. And I--I... I know I will fail on him again, just like I did and when I do, he will leave me again and maybe we will get back together again and again but I will keep failing and he will leave me over and over again... until... until the moment his love will die and he won't love me anymore and this, Blair, I can't survive. I am here and I can stand this pain I have in my heart now but I can't stand him to don't love me anymore, I can't break this. I need to know I am still this girl for him so I can keep going forward. I need to believe I'm that girl, that perfect flawed girl as anyone else but that will succeed and be happy. When I thought I wasn't, I barely survived; my whole summer was hell because I thought he didn't love me anymore but when we met at the Hamptons and I could feel somehow he still loved me, it restored my strength and I kept breathing."

"I don't know what to say" rambled Blair, shocked that her friend was so vulnerable, surprised to know that Serena van der Woodsen felt like... anybody else

"There is nothing to say B, nothing to do. I feel I'm lucky, I really do because everybody in my life made me feel like Serena van der Woodsen, a force of nature and sex appeal, the powerful queen of Upper East Side, this perfect creature that anyone wanted to be or to have but Dan... Dan just made me feel like that common average teenager girl you said, a girl that was loved by a boy that had reflected in his eyes the fullness that this ordinary girl gave to his life by just being ordinarily her"

Serena sighed in tiredness and Blair didn't have anything else to say.

She just held her friend's hand tight. She couldn't avoid thinking of Chuck; of how he made her feel. She thought about this feeling Serena just described. It wasn't even close. It wasn't this noble, it wasn't this special, it wasn't this natural. Like Serena did, she thought that to be loved she had to be this flawless beauty and innocent girl like she was to Nate. That didn't prove to be enough and so she thought she had to be a spicy temptation and when I man showed all his desire, obsession and worship, like Chuck did, she will be loved. Just like a masterpiece that seduced its admirer leading him to give an immeasurable amount of money to have the object of his love but it didn't make her feel cherished, completed. Lust didn't bring love either. And now listening to her friend's words a new world opened to her as it had opened to Serena when she met Dan. She understood that love was just the simplest feeling and the most natural instinct of the man but somehow people messed it up and made it hard. It has been confused by lust, desire, passion, need. All those were important but they were just the color of the flowers in the garden that seduced everyone that saw it. Love was different. Love was the flowers that comforted its owner's heart after a loss. Love was the flowers that fed the butterflies to dance in the air, helping them to forget they once were caterpillars. Love was the flowers that fed bees that would give the sweetest and purest honey and also that fed the birds that would multiply the blessing of the garden sowing the seeds of. Sure the colors were important to make it exhale life but there were more. In that moment Blair knew it. In that moment Serena felt it.

After the long silence that united the BFF's, Serena sighed again laying down on her bed "I wasn't ready B. I will never be but I just had to give up" she uttered

* * *

_A/N: This is by far my favorite chapter. For Serena's speech, for Blair's realization and metaphor. Hope you liked. Let me know your thoughts, your reviews are so nice and important to me. I will try to post a chapter before my travel but if it not possible I think I will post only next week prior to New Year's Eve._

_Merry Christmas to everyone, just in case_

_Barbara._


	5. The Struggle

**

* * *

**

Forever is About to Start

**Chapter 5 - The Struggle**

* * *

Dan was in a crossroad. He didn't know if he would wait to see Serena in the school and give her the doll or if he should go to her house. He wanted to have a moment with her but he didn't want to cross with Aaron. It was already awkward in the day of Bart's funeral.

He didn't have a clue of how she felt about him neither about Aaron and he couldn't say how she was going to act around him. She would never be rude to him, this was sure but he couldn't handle coldness from Serena and this is was one of his fears.

He didn't know what happened on Argentina and though he was willing to know about he was also afraid. During her trip he did his best to avoid thinking about it and he was successful to a certain extent but now that he knew she was back it was near to impossible to not think on her.

There was no excuse as he had to go to Eleanor's house. At least that was what he thought when Jenny erupted in his room.

"I'm going to Serena's, want to come?" she asked

"What? Why? What are you doing there?" he rambled

"I called Eric yesterday and he was so tired of the trip but he invited me to drop by today, so I am going"

"But he didn't invite me and I don't know if Serena wants to see me now, I don't want to make something she doesn't want or that she doesn't like. She and her boyfriend were on a romantic getaway and she must be with him now instead of be in her house enjoying her walls" he rambled even harder

"You are so cute when you ramble, you know?" she said wrinkled her face cutely "But she is there, I just called him to say I was going and for any reason he asked her to answer his phone and she asked if you got her Christmas gift and how you were" Jenny said

"But asking is one thing and seeing is another different" he said

"But it is rude to don't thank for a gift and I know you bought her something" she said

"How you know that?"

"Everyone saw you with that blue package and cheesy smile in the face, me, Nate, Vanessa, dad…"

"It could be to someone else"

"It wasn't for me or for dad or for mom or for Vanessa and I hardly believe that you would look that way to a gift to anyone but Serena"

"Am I this obvious?" he asked smirking

"You totally are. And Serena is too. You are still in love with each other and the only people that can't see it are you!" she said

"It is complicated"

"It is not. You love her, she loves you and dad and Lily are not together. There is nothing between you"

"Her boyfriend seems like one of the many things between us"

"He will be out of the picture the moment you want him to be" Jenny challenged her brother

"He won't because if it was like this, he was already. I asked her for a second chance, I said her we would sort things out but she turned me down. She doesn't want me back, Jenny, regardless if she still loves me or not"

"Because you are just… just… too respectful Dan. You can't ask her to have you back; you have to make her to want you back. Push her in the wall, kiss her passionately and tell me what she will say" said Jenny blinking and leaving

"Where did you learn this? Who is pushing you in the wall, Jenny? Jenifer come back here" he yelled his sister but all he heard was the front door slam

_Maybe she is right._ He pondered. Quickly he texted her.

_I'm going with you, wait for me to change. Dan_

Jenny that never left the door, outside their loft, smiled to herself. She knew how to encourage her brother.

* * *

Less than an hour later they were in front of The Palace, where van der Woodsen family were back

"We are here to see Eric van der Woodsen. He is waiting for us, Humphrey, Jenny Humphrey" she said

"He already informed, you can go, Ms. Humphrey" said the concierge

Dan was stuck as if he couldn't move.

"Aren't you coming? They said we could go." Jenny asked

"He said you could go" Dan said

"Don't be silly, Dan" she said towards him "Eric is waiting for us, move" grabbing his wrist

"You are bossy you know?" he asked

"And you are such a fool" she said as they entered the elevator

* * *

"Hey Jenny" said Eric greeting and hugging his friend "Ahh, hey Dan" he said surprised by her brother

"Excuse me for no prior notice" he rambled

"Not a problem. Serena is on shower, she just got in, I will let her know you are here otherwise you will wait for her for at least an hour" Eric said smirking

"No, it is fine, she must be still tired of the flight, let her relax, in fact I also came to visit you"

"Aham" said Jenny and Eric in unison

"What? Is it this hard to believe?" he asked blushing

"So where have you been?" asked Jenny as they moved to the living room and accommodate themselves, Jenny and Eric on a couch and Dan on a spare chair

"This is a long story, that needs some appetizers" he said and called for the maid and asked her juicy and some orange cake

As he talked to the old woman, Dan was looking around to the new pictures of Serena and her family and the old ones from her childhood up to her debutant ball.

Eric and Jenny started talking excitedly and Dan barely heard to the words they muttered. Serena's name though caught his attention

"You know her, I told her the other day that though Aaron agreed it wouldn't be good. They were leaving on a romantic getaway to Buenos Aires!" Eric exclaimed

"So you were there with them all the time?" Jenny asked

"You don't tell me. I felt like I was ruining their trip, not that they wouldn't do it by themselves" he smirked again

"Di-did you go with Aaron and Serena?" asked Dan

"Yeah and she was luck I was there. She struggled with her hair, the weather, places Aaron wanted to visit, everything. First, it rained basically all days. Aaron wanted to visit some old buildings and some art galleries but the sky was falling and Serena's hair looked like a helmet. She says her hair didn't like South America air because when storms here it doesn't get that big. I took some pictures and she wants to kill me about it, I'll show you later"

"I couldn't be the air, it must be purer than Manhattan's" Jenny pointed

"I know, it wasn't Argentina's air but the fact is her hair was funny. Anyway, she tried to be a good girlfriend and it just turned worse when she came back in the hotel soaked wet and her new Jimmy Choo's boots destroyed"

* * *

Eric related all tragic though funny events of their trip and Dan couldn't help but smile

"And for last but not least, as they made the reservation with so short notice, they couldn't find me a room, so I slept in their suite, just in the couch in front of their bed" he said laughing out loud

"Thanks for sharing our lovely trip details" said Serena entering the room, blushed by Eric last comment and uncomfortable for Dan listening to this

"Hey, Serena" said Jenny standing up to hug her

"Hi Jenny, how are you?" she asked

"Fine and having fun with Eric"

"Don't believe on everything he says, it wasn't this bad" she said half smiling

"Serena" Dan said trying to hold the grin that inevitably came across his face. She looked amazing on a purple cowl neck cable knit dress and long boots

"Hi Dan" she greeted him awkwardly

"What about you keep telling me details of the greatest trip of your life?" said Jenny blinking to Eric and pulling him to his bedroom

"I'd want to thank you for the Christmas gift" he said

"There was nothing. Really, I'm sorry I couldn't find you anything better but you know, with Bart's death and Chuck being MIA" she said but he cut her off

"It was perfect, don't worry"

"I promise to get you something better on your birthday" she said looking embarrassed

"That's fine. I bo-bought you something too" he rambled in the last part, grabbing the blue package that was laying in the chair he was sat before

"You didn't need to" she said as he handed her the carefully and beautifully wrapped package

"Of course I did but mainly I wanted to" he said

She was about to open when he interrupted her

"Why don't you open later?" he asked

"Why?"

"I don't know, maybe if you don't like at least I don't get to see your disappointing face" he babbled

"Sounds fair, as I didn't watch you smiling falling when you say my stupid snow globe"

"I love it. I really did"

"Okay" she said, her eyes dropping to the tip of her boots

* * *

There was an awkward silence between them that was only broken when her maid entered the room holding a tray with their snack

"I will call Jenny and Eric" said her leaving quickly

Few seconds later the four of them were eating and talking, in fact Eric and Jenny did the talking as Serena and Dan only handled to utter monosyllables, nodding or shaking their heads every now and then

"I should be going" he said

"You do?" Serena asked

"Yeah, I have a lot of stuff to do, are you going with me or are you staying, Jenny?" he asked to her sister

"I'm going with you, I just have to take my purse I left on Eric's room and go to the bathroom" she said standing up to leave

"I'll take your purse for you" said Eric following her

"Thanks for the present" she said

"You are welcome. I hope you like it"

"I'm sure I will"

"It is a Christmas gift and I really didn't have a chance to wish you a merry Christmas this year. I know it is weird and pointless but to feel like a Christmas gift I have to wish you a merry Christmas" he rambled hardly

"It won't be weird" she smiled lightly

"So…" he said motioning on her direction and trying to figure out with his body language how to hug her

She made things easily for him by wrapping her arms around his back

"Merry Christmas, Dan"

"Merry Christmas, Princess" he said very low

When she was about to say something, Jenny and Eric stormed back in the living room

"Bye Serena" said her kissing Serena's cheek

"Bye Jenny, come more often"

"Bye, Eric" said Dan waving his hand shortly

"See you, Dan" said Eric following Jenny to the door

"See you at school, next week?" she asked

"Sure, see you" he fought again to kiss her cheek, closely to kiss her lips

"Bye Dan" she said as he and Jenny walked out the door

* * *


	6. The Denial

**

* * *

**

Forever is About to Start

**Chapter 6 - The Denial**

* * *

It has been two days since Dan gave her the gift on Saturday morning and she didn't find enough strength to open it. When Dan and Jenny left she ran to her bedroom curious and excited to know what he had gave her.

There was a card attached and the card alone was wonderfully perfect. It was made of dried rose petals and it was the most beautiful card she ever saw. It had Dan's scent. She couldn't say if he spilled some of his cologne or if it was intoxicated by being close to him so many days.

She decided to start with the card and maybe it was better if she had let it for last.

_Princesses should always smile__, especially if they sound like four years old. _

_One day I'll tell you the story__ of the princess in her pink dress. _

_With all my love,_

_Dan_

Now it made sense to her why he called her a princess. It was all related but what story could it be? Did he get her a stuffed princess? Or a princess doll? What was it about? He wanted her to always smile the same way she wanted him to always have snowing Christmas, because deep inside all they wanted was the other to be happy.

She knew that was something special about the beautiful blue package and a wave of fear took her body. She shivered and she knew the moment she opened that gift it would be like opening a Pandora's Box. The Pandora's Box of her heart which will not release all ills and evils of mankind much the other way around it would release her love, passion and affection for Dan. Remembering of the myth and associating her own life with Pandora's she decided to not open the present and stored away the blue packet on her closet.

Now she was leaving for Constance and she opened her closet to take one more look in the satin and silk paper wrapping.

She sigh heavily not by her curiousness but because all her heart wanted was to open it and see what Dan's love got her but she knew she would get hurt and miss him even more. Deciding to spare her any more pain, she closed the door and headed to school.

* * *

Fate hadn't helped her and the first person she met was Dan who was struggling with his books and notebooks.

Trying to sneak away from him she turned back on her heels and waited for him to lead to St. Jude's corridors.

"Hiding yourself, S?" asked Blair behind her

They haven't talked in person since the day Serena told her best friend that she still loved Dan and how it hurt to not be with him.

"You scared the hell of me, B" said Serena releasing a breath she didn't know she was holding

"What are you doing peeking the school and not entering?" asked Blair

"I don't want to meet Dan" she confessed as both walked inside the school

"S, after all those things you said me I can't understand why you are avoiding him, why you are denying yourselves a chance to be happy, as much as my plans for you were way much better than Cabbage Patch and Brooklyn if he is the one that will feel like the ordinary girl, go after him, it is pretty obvious he still feels the same way about you"

"We can't B. Believe me, all I'd wish was to be happy with him and always smile but I can't. We can't. Our love is meant to be but we aren't"

"Have you heard to yourself? How is possible for your love be meant to be and you not? It doesn't make sense Serena and if you are afraid to be hurt again, I have bad news, you and everybody else will, eventually, over and over again" said Blair stopping in front of her locker and getting rid of book she won't use until afternoon

"I know" said a defeated Serena

"So choose between getting hurt alone and with someone you don't love or getting hurt with the man that make you feel like _her_" said Blair

Serena knew who was _her, _the ordinary girl they have been thinking about since their conversation, she was going to answer Blair when the bell rang.

* * *

Serena couldn't think on anything else during her History class. She knew Blair was right and regardless of being alone, with Dan or with someone else she will get hurt eventually. People make mistake all the time she couldn't avoid the pain. But it hurt so much. Some days in her vacation it was unbearable and she barely left her bed. Dan was all she needed but she couldn't. She knew he was hurt in the process as well and it hurt her even more.

A message on her cell brushed her off her thoughts. It was from Aaron and she wasn't interested on reading it. Since Dan had confessed he wanted them to try again she couldn't help but get away a bit from her boyfriend. Their trip had been a disaster but even if the weather was great and her hair splendorous as it used to be she knew their getaway wouldn't be any better. She was thankful she had Eric with her and had the perfect excuse to do not have sex with him. It would be a lot worse to deny it to Aaron if the trip had been great. She wasn't ready. She didn't want to have sex with anyone else. All she could think was to make love to Dan again. They never had sex. It had always been special and it made harder for her to move on this subject. Dan was the only man she had wished to have sex in her life. She regretted the things she had in the past for many reasons but when she made love to him for the first time she wished it was her first time too. She thought it would make them really forever but Dan never really cared to the uncountable men she has had in her life and she had been thankful for that.

School didn't seem her place anymore. She didn't want to cross with him, she didn't want to see him, she didn't want to feel his scent but it was too late, leaving her classroom her nostrils were captured by the scent she knew better.

"Hi" he said

"Hey" she replied imaging what he was doing on Constance instead of St. Jude's.

"Didn't see you this morning, neither on lunch, came to see if you were okay"

"I'm okay, thanks" she said awkwardly

"Want to go to the gallery? Nate and I are going to meet Vanessa there" he invited

"In fact I had a lot to do. Aaron is probably going there later, so if I'm free, I'll go with him" she said and they were in silence walking out of the school

"Oh, okay" he said. He expected her to show excitement for the doll but she didn't even mention. It hurt him that she probably thought it was just a stupid doll that her stupid ex boyfriend gave her on Christmas. He felt like an idiot.

"Well, so I see you around" he said with sad eyes

"Sure" she said and they left on their separate ways

"Dan" she called him after they walked few steps

He quickly turned around and walked back to her

"Thanks for the princess. Maybe someday you can tell me about the story" she said dropping her look to the tip of her boots

"I'm glad you liked" he said smiling honestly

"As if there was a chance for you to choose wrong" she confessed

"I wanted to find something that would show you how much you are special. And it was perfect. Wait until you listen about it"

"Now I'm embarrassed and I only got you a snow globe" she said. Even though she had no idea what was inside the package she knew it was special and his words now only confirmed it

"It was perfect, I watch it every night and shake for the snow to fall. Even when it is snowing outside. It reminds me of you, as if I could forget but it just makes me see your smile and I feel it lights the room"

"Dan… I'm flattered" was all she could say, their eyes now locked

He reached out her hands and still looking in her eyes "That's the only way I could sleep easily again. I was tired of rolling on my bed for hours until tiredness knocked me down. Thanks for the best Christmas gift you could gave me" he said caressing her fingers with his like they used to do "Except for you, sure" he said closing the space between them

"Dan" she said closing her eyes and trying her best to not kiss him lovely and passionately in front of Constance and praying for him do not kiss her as she stayed with eyes closed

"Hey, hi" said Aaron not happy with the scene in front of him

"Hi, baby" she said kissing his cheek with relief

"Hi, man" Dan said quickly letting go her hands

"Got my text?" he said moving possessively beside her and wrapping his hands around her waist

"In fact not, I think my phone died. What's up?" she asked trying to give him her full attention but not having strength enough to keep her eyes off of Dan

"Nothing special, just missed you, we barely saw each other since we got back. I thought you wanted to go to the gallery with me" he asked

"Dan was just inviting me to go with him and Nate but as I was explaining him I have a lot of things to do. Why don't we drop there later?" she asked forcing a smile

"Whatever you say as long as you are with me" he said kissing her as she reluctantly let him

"See you there so" she quickly said to Dan that was clearly hurt

"Sure. See you later. You too" he said to her and then Aaron and left

"Is everything alright Serena? I know our holidays weren't exactly what you had in your mind but I know you are growing distant of me" he asked as they entered the taxi

"Everything is fine, don't worry. It is just I was worried about Eric and I wanted to have news on my mother. She texted me saying she will take some more days. I think she deserves after the year she had. But we are okay babe we are just perfect" she said kissing his cheek and laying her head on his shoulder.

_I need to give this a chance. He is falling for me and I can fall for him too. Eventually. Especially if I don't see Dan on a daily basis. Seeing him is not gonna help. I need to stay away from him. I will tell him to back off. Later, in the gallery, I'll talk to him._

* * *

At the end of the afternoon Aaron and Serena headed to the gallery and met only Vanessa and Nate there. Serena's plan to talk to Dan had failed but she would make sure she'd talk to him in school, first thing next morning.

Aaron had gone to look into the new paintings Rufus had brought when Rufus himself entered the gallery.

"Hey, Serena. Long time, no see" he said opening his arms to hug his son ex-girlfriend

"Rufus? What are you doing here?" asked a confused Serena

"Well, this is one of my work places so I come here often in fact" he said smirking

"I mean, weren't you supposed to be traveling? With my mom?" she asked very low the last part

"Is Lily away?" he asked wondering that's why she didn't answer any of his calls

"With you, I thought" Serena said surprised

"Fate wasn't on our side, Serena. We could have been this perfect and happy couple and you and Dan wouldn't exist or maybe you would be brother and sister but the fact is we will never be together. We burned so many bridges and some of them make it impossible for us to find our way back to each other. I wish it was different but it isn't, I can't be with her, she knows, I know and we can't deny or pretend we don't know. I wish back twenty years ago things had been different and right now we would still be together. But we can't turn back time, can we? Our time passed but our love stayed, sometimes this is enough" he said with regret, pain and sadness in his eyes

"I thought now you will finally be together. It is your perfect chance!" she said trying to give him hope

"It is not my place to tell you this, one day your mother will let you know what happened and you will see just like we did that there is no chance left for us"

Somehow Serena knew it was something very serious. She never had seen such feeling in someone's eyes. Rufus was devastated and she could see how hurt he was. It also would explain why her mother prolonged her travel so much. She was supposed to be back before New Year's Eve and it was already January, 5th and she was away, probably healing, probably denying whatever had happened twenty years ago

"I'm sorry" she said from the bottom of her heart

"Don't be. Just learn from us and don't waste your chances on love, you never know if you will have another someday" he said kissing her cheek and leading to where Vanessa was

"Rufus" Aaron called from behind where they were "These are really great. You have to let me know where you got them and who is this new guy" said an excited Aaron passing by Serena barely noticing how shocked she was

_I will talk to him. It can't wait for tomorrow, can it? No, definitely not. The more I wait, the worse it will turn._ She thought making her mind.

* * *

_A/N: Next chapter_ The End_ is coming soon. Sorry for the delay on this one, I'll start writing off the next one right now_


	7. The End

**

* * *

Forever is About to Start**

**Chapter 7 - The End

* * *

  
**

Serena knew she couldn't handle this situation anymore. She had to take a decision for good. She couldn't wait, not even one more day.

She left the gallery and went to her house to put her thoughts in order. She knew she would hurt him a lot and she will be hurt, because of her feelings and because of his feelings but there wasn't another way. She filled the tub with hot water, January was always so cold in New York and all she needed to think was a good hot tub. Relaxing every muscle of her body her mind seemed to be unaffected. She thought about him, about the beautiful things he had said and done for her, about her promising Christmas gift.

_I can't do this to myself anymore. I have to give my heart fully, I have to be totally honest with me, with Aaron, with Dan. I have to stop this and I will stop this right now._

"Hey" said her trying to sound happy

"Can you come to my house? I think we need to talk"

"Sure, I'm waiting"

"Me too"

It was done, she had called him and now she will be free of this triangle in her mind and heart.

* * *

He knew she wanted to talk about something serious. He knew her enough to know that her voice was cracking a bit, imperceptible for most people, not for him. Anyway in less than one minute he will figure it out.

He knocked on her bedroom door before opening it to enter. She was waiting for him, he didn't need to wait her to open it

"Hi" she said as he hugged her

"Hey" he whispered on her ear

"Come, let's seat" she leaded him to her bed. She was uncomfortable. He was uncomfortable and the air thickened.

"So, you want to talk" he said after a brief silence

"Yes, look I don't how to say it any better so I'll be straight, right?" she asked and he nodded already figuring out what she would say

"We can't see each other anymore. All those things you said to me, it is not fair. I can't hurt you and I can't be hurt and if we keep seeing each other it will happen sooner or later. I want you to know that somehow I feel the same about you, I really do but I can't have two men on my heart or on my mind and to be honest I've been thinking about you and about him and it is not fair to me, to you, to him. I will try to figure out my feelings though I might have a clue of what will happen and I think you do too but I am not sure. I am not sure in my life for a long time and maybe I'm not ready for him, maybe I can't give my heart to him as he gives him to me but I'm not gonna hurt you in the process because I will be hurt as well. I can't stand here to see you have hopes, I can't… I can't please, try to understand. I don't know if I will be with him for the next two months, two years, two decades, I really don't know. It could be you, it could be him or it could be someone else and until I know it I have to be honest with myself and with the two of you. I am so sorry"

"Well it wasn't like I really had a chance with a girl like you" he said sadly

"Maybe if things were different, maybe on another time, maybe if we were someone else but we can't change who we are, how we feel or the time we are living in" she said equally sad

"Well the time we've spent together was the best of my life. I never felt this way about anyone and you are just the girl of my dreams. I know it passed so much water behind this bridge and I am sorry for this, we could really be happy" he said honestly

"I know, I really do" she said teary

"Promise you will be happy, that his beautiful smile of yours will never drop, not for anyone nor for anything because your smile is the most beautiful thing" he said removing the golden locks falling over her angelical face

"I'll do my best"

"So I won't hurt because I will know you are okay" he said kissing her cheek

"I wish I could be with you, you are just… I didn't expect… when we met and you" she said but he cut her off by placing his index finger on her lips

"I know, I'm sorry for my mistakes. I know I hurt you and I know you deserve better and that's why I'm letting you go, knowing that I'm doing the best for you"

"Thank you"

"Take care, Serena" he said kissing her forehead "I'll give you space and when we meet it won't be awkward, I promise, not hurt feelings… I mean, I can't deny it hurts but I have no hurt feelings, you know I mean it" he said looking in her eyes

"I didn't expect anything different from you"

"Bye, princess" he said and she shivered

"Bye" she answered as his image faded in her door. _Princess_ she thought. That was the answer she needed to her unquiet heart.

* * *

Dan arrived in his father art gallery and his thoughts couldn't be away of the beautiful blonde he loved so much. And still she broke his heart. Surely she didn't do this on purpose but it didn't matter because it hurt the same way. She has moved on and though he wished that was something he could do about it, there wasn't.

She had a boyfriend and she clearly wanted to stay with Aaron. Dan wouldn't chase after her, it wasn't like him to chase after a woman committed to someone else and if he really loved her and he knew he did, he should want her to be happy, regardless if it was by his side or not. He knew all these things were true but it didn't help the pain he felt in his heart.

"I thought you wouldn't be here today" Said Rufus

"I said to Vanessa and Nate I would" Dan said

"Nate left and so did Serena" Rufus said casually

"Yeah, I'm late, I know it" he answered his father and also his heart

"Vanessa is in the café" he said leaving towards the customer that just entered the gallery

"Nate had to leave but you were supposed to be here 4 hours ago" she said

"I was at school, I had to go to the library" he lied

"What a dork you are Daniel Humphrey. You have the afternoon free and you still stay on school"

"I plan to get into a college, like Yale, you know and I need to get some good grades to make it possible, so no, I'm not considering not having my papers done in the due date" he said sarcastically

"Hey, I was just kidding, what got into you?" she asked

"Sorry, I shouldn't get all my bitterness over you" he said sitting in one of the chairs

"Serena?" she asked attempted asked biting her lip

"The lack of Serena, the miss of Serena, the Serenaless sadness I'm into" he sighed

"You should fight for her, you know?" she asked serving him a hot chocolate to help with the cold air and to comfort him a bit

"No, I can't. She has a boyfriend that she clearly said she will keep. So no, there is nothing I can do" he said taking the cup "Thanks" he completed blowing his chocolate

"And the gift?" she asked remembering of the so special gift he got to Serena

"She liked it. She was cold about it. I thought she would be more… you know… touched. But she didn't and she didn't bother to find out the story behind it"

"Maybe she will ask eventually and then maybe you could let all of us know as well"

"I don't think so" he said depressed

"Give her some time and things will work out. I know they will. Look how much Nate and I passed but somehow we made it" she said grabbing his hand and squeezing it on reassurance

"Yeah" he agreed not believing it was his case. Not anymore.

* * *

The next day on school was quiet. Too quiet for anyone's taste. Things can't be right when they are this quite. No blast from GG, no infamous story, blaming picture or vid. No, nada. Nothing at all.

Dan has been lucky he didn't see her today. It wasn't good to see her on her beautiful figure and still can't have her. Things were still too recent and he wasn't prepared to handle it right away. The wound was open and he needed time to heal.

Or maybe he wouldn't have it. "Hi" he listened to her sweet voice behind him

"Hey" he answered awkwardly

"How are you?" she asked getting the awkward atmosphere

"Have been better myself and you?"

"Dan, we don't need to be like this. We shouldn't be like this. We can be friends" she attempted

"I know, just give me some days. I can't. I wish I could but I just can't handle it now Serena" he said leaving and letting a broken girl behind him. It hurt her that she hurt him so much

She arrived at her house and the pain of his eyes were following her wherever she went. She headed straight to her room and to the blue package resting on her closet. She decided she would open it finally and when she did the blonde china doll her heart melt. She took her jacket and the little doll and left. She had to do something else.

* * *

AN: Yeah it took forever, I know, but here I am. I will finish this story. Maybe it won't have the 33 chapters I had on my outline but I will finish it and I hope I won't take another three months to update it. I hope to do it every week, now that I'm not working anymore. Maybe every two weeks if I find hard to get inspiration but for the first time, I have the outline for one of my stories, so it makes it easier to write because I know what I want on each chapter.

Hope you guys liked it and pay attention to the details.


	8. The Stories

* * *

**Forever is About to Start**

**Chapter 8 - The Stories**

* * *

Making up for his absence the day before, Dan decided to stay in the school's library and work on his History paper. Maybe it was the best thing to do after all. If he had his mind busy with something as annoying as this paper he could find peace on his mind and maybe, just maybe, bring a bit of quietness to his heart.

Spending a bit over two hours there, he ignored all calls on his phone, especially Serena's. He knew she was feeling bad for everything but he didn't need her pity. Listening to her voice, smelling her perfume surely didn't help him to move on. So he didn't answer her calls and neither her text asking him to meet her on Central Park or wherever he was. What was the point to have her close to him, if he couldn't touch her? Truth is that though he controlled his mind to keep her away from his thoughts he couldn't control his heart. Finally he decided to allow himself to daydream. It was exhausting to fight his mind all the time like that. If he couldn't have her on his arms, he would have her in his dreams, on the words of his poetry, in the memories of her four year old giggles. Just remembering the sound of her laugh brought a smile to his face. How could someone be so good? Serena had the biggest heart he knew. She was kind and considerate. She tried her best to never hurt the people she cared about. Damn it, she preferred to get hurt instead of having her loved ones in pain. He could see the pain in her eyes when they talked. He knew she was in pain because he was hurting. He could see in her beautiful blue orbits that it was consuming her inside. How could someone be this selfless? How could someone be this giving? She was a special soul. He had no doubt about it. When he first saw her it was her eyes, her sexy body and beautiful hair that captivated his heart but it was also her vulnerability and frailness. As anyone saw a careless wild young woman, he saw a beautiful princess, trying desperately to find meaning, to find understanding, to find love. He didn't understand why she was like this, he couldn't understand why someone so beautiful, with everything in her life, could have those beautiful still sad eyes. He would never forget her and when she said Hi to him, he knew it. She literally took him for hello.

He kept the newspaper Vanessa gave to him on his closet but he bought himself another copy and cut his first story ever published. He was proud to have his words in such important newspaper but that was never why he kept it with him, on his wallet. He read it from time to time, not that he wouldn't remember every single word on his mind, because he would, but because when he read it he could see the events of that night on his head, he could somehow live it again and right now he felt as distant of his muse as he felt that October cool night. Not caring if he was on a not so crowded but still library with lots of people, he unfolded the piece of paper.

8.10.5

_I find myself lost. I certainly wasn't invited to this part. That must have been a mistake. Surely these people wouldn't be any different here of what they are at school. I'm just lonely boy, ignored on their best. I can listen them whispering to each other. Why is he here? Who invited him? Who he came with?_

_I ask myself the same question. Why I'm here. Certainly Someone over there doesn't like me. I already have my share of despise on school, I don't need to come here and become their joker._

_So I decided I should at least get some food, after all I didn't have lunch and I can't deny, UES'ers know how to have a perfect and delicious buffet._

_I was serving myself something to drink when someone accidentally – at least I like to think so – bumped on me. Surely I had some kind of fruits cocktail all over my shirt, as if I really needed another reason to be their favorite mockery puppet. "Hi" she said and I turned myself immediately forgetting the napkin I was using to dry myself._

"_Hi" was all I could say mesmerized by her eyes looking to me. She was drunk, I could say because she was trying hard to do not lose her balance again as she reached for another napkin and handled it to me "I'm sorry" she said with a shy smile. She seemed embarrassed and before I could say something stupid to her, she was gone, some guy came and took her by the waist. But I never forgot the light in her eyes. She has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen and still they were so sad. She seemed scared but her antics didn't say the same. She was Queen Serena, the girl every other girl envied and every guy in the world desired. She was confident and brave and she never seemed to be affected by anything or anyone, but when she was only few inches away, when I turned myself around and looked at her guilty expression, all I could see was a little girl, lost, scared, vulnerable. How could someone believe me? She was unreachable, she was what everyone else wanted to be. She had it all. She was it all and still all I could see in that moment was this little girl. Then she smiled, probably because the stain on my shirt was now noticed by her. It wasn't the smile she always had on her beautiful face. It wasn't her cheery laugh or her childish giggle. It was only a half smile and still she was as wonderful as a goddess could be. Her lips perfectly curved and I couldn't bring myself to look at anywhere else. Truth is, in that moment it was like the whole universe was her. She said she was sorry but it wasn't her words that convinced me. She locked her eyes on mine and I could see her soul. This is how pure and angelical she is. A window to her innocence. But how could someone be this innocent when anyone talked about her one night stands, drugs and wild nights? They said it because they never looked into her eyes. They said it because they were never sensitive to see the girl behind those blue eyes. I wish I could rescue her, I wish I could be her knight shinning but before I could formulate a word she was gone. The same way she came, she left. Unexpected. I never expected to be this close to Serena Van der Woodsen. I never imagined she could say a word to me, let alone two sentences. But what really surprised me weren't the words I heard but the girl I've seen. It was like she has come from a totally different world. A world where she wasn't the envied perfect girl. Where she wasn't Queen S. Unexpected, because when I thought I had finally got the honor to talk to the Queen, I've found myself looking into the fragile and gentle princess. How could someone say there was power, sex appeal and anything different from pureness? How could they be this blind? How was it possible that it took me 20 seconds to see her soul and these people couldn't see her for years? I was already sat on a couch when I watched her sneaking into a room with the guy that took her away from me. Before she could go, forever, out of life our eyes met again and hers were pleading for help. She needed to be saved but jokers don't save the princesses in the fairytales, princes do, knights shinning do and it wasn't allowed to a plebian to cross the lines of their worlds and touch her, let alone save her. Her eyes. Her curved lips. Her sexy hair. Her sculptured body. Her sweet voice. I met her once. She said two sentences to me. I never forgot her._

This how he has always seen Serena and when he could hold her in his arms on that Thanks Giving he knew in his heart she needed to be saved. He wished with all his heart to be this guy, this honored guy that would save her from the world that corrupted her, from the world that turned her from a damsel into that lost soul. When Lily thanked him for saving her daughter he felt like he accomplished his mission on world, he felt like the purpose of his whole existence was finally fulfilled only for him to lose her, to let her go and to cause even more harm. He wish he could change what happened in the last months, he wished he could have trusted more on her and played his role. He has never judged her before and he should have known better. He should have known that something else had broken her. But now it was too late. A sole tear rolled on his face. He had failed to the only person he shouldn't have. Wiping his face quickly, to avoid any more gossip, he folded carefully the piece of paper and slid it on his wallet.

"I'm sorry" he said to himself and started to place his books back on his backpack.

"Hi" he listened to the same sweet voice

"Hey" he said avoiding eye contact. He didn't want her to see his probably reddish eyes.

"I've been in the gallery and Vanessa told me you could be here. She said something about due dates papers and Yale" she said with the same half smile he just dreamed about

"Yeah, history" he sighed

"I've called you a few times. I wanted to meet you, I hope you don't mind" she said still trying to figure out how to bring up the doll

"Yeah, I saw your text but I really needed to finish this. I'm sorry"

"It is ok" she said and no one could find anything else to say. The silence that was so common when they were studying together a few months ago, was not disturbing and awkward.

"And could you finish?"

"Not really. I divagated a bit"

"Are you leaving already?" she asked as he finished tucked the rest of his books

"Yes, it won't be more productive and I also have to help my father in the gallery" he said still not looking into her eyes "So, see you later?" he asked as he stood up

"Dan" she called

"Please Serena" he pleaded

"You own me this. You told me you'd tell me" she said

"Tell you what?" he asked looking to her face, not exactly her eyes, for the first time

She slowly slid the doll from her lap over the table. He clearly hasn't realize she had the blue package when she sat in the chair across to him

"It is beautiful" she said softly "I really loved it"

He was taken aback by the doll, especially because the other day he felt she didn't really like it

"It is a cute story" he said half smiling

"I'd love to hear about it"

"Well there isn't much to say. I went with Vanessa and Nate to his fair and while they were looking for some presents to orphan kids I tried to look for something for you. I ran into this stand and there was this doll and I remembered about you the moment I've seen it" he said fully smiling now

"It does resembles a lot" Serena said softly giggling

"I talked to the owner and he told me he couldn't sell me the doll because it belonged to his daughter. He even offered to do a new one but I just wanted that one. It was until I met Sarah that I understood why it was so important to her" he said and Serena couldn't take her eyes off of his

"She told me she met a princess once, not really met, she saw a princess entering The Palace with her white and gold dress. She was enchanted by the beautiful blonde but she saw what nobody else seemed to see. She saw the same I've seen on a party almost a couple of years ago. The princess was sad and it broke the little girl's heart. She asked her father to do her a princess and she hoped – with her now pink dress – she would be happy and she trusted me, she asked me to make the princess happy and I couldn't deny it to a little girl. Not the little girl that could see the same I saw once and neither to the little girl that was now sadder than ever because of me" he said looking deep in Serena's teary eyes

"How do you always has a magical story about me?" her voice cracked

"The magic is in you, Serena, you shine so hard that even a blind could see it" he said reaching for her hand over the table

Another silence filled the air but this time it wasn't heavy. It was melancholic. It was the passion two lovers had so hard for each other but that still resisted

"I made her a promise, I promised that I would do everything on my strength to make the princess happy and though I'm willing to do it, I also know that is not my responsibility anymore"

"Dan, Aaron…" she said but was cut off by the library lady

"Kids, the library is closing. We've asked 10 minutes ago to all students leave. It is too late and I need to lock it"

"Sure, we were about to leave" said Dan standing up again and leading Serena to leave

"Oh and Ms. Van der Woodsen" the lady called "Could you please wait for me? I need to give your mother some papers, as she is head of parents' board. They are at my office, I'll just lock it here and we can lead there"

"Sure" she said looking to the woman and to Dan

"Thank you for the doll, I hope I can meet Sarah someday" she said

"You're welcome" he said and left thinking _And I only wish when you do, I'll be able to say I kept my promise_


	9. The Kiss Part I

**

* * *

Forever is About to Start**

**Chapter 9 - The Kiss – Part I**

* * *

After their brief moment in the library, Dan and Serena barely talked to each other. They have been avoiding each other after their parents somehow reunited.

The same night they met on the library, they found out about Lily and Rufus. Dan arrived in the loft to walk in his father sharing a passionate kiss with the blond. Not even the news about Aaron and Serena break up which he found out the next morning, thanks to Gossip Girl, could help how he felt about dating his almost step-mother's daughter.

Serena on the other hand was cooler about their parents' status. She knew they loved each other and she was happy for them and sure that if Dan and her got things figured out it would be okay but she felt he growing distant in the last few weeks and she understood that it was too much for him to handle.

* * *

Tonight they would met. It was opera night and though the kids weren't too excited to watch it, Lily wanted the whole family to be together, especially on an important event like the Opera. She had hopes Charles would finally give in her invitation for him to come back and live with them and her hopes were specially renewed when Bart's attorney gave her the adoption papers Bart has signed before his death.

"So, excited for tonight?" asked Serena to Dan as they met during lunch

"Not exactly, but Vanessa seems to be going with Nate, so I must as well stay with them" he said totally uncomfortable

"Oh. I am sure you will like it, you better watch it with your family, I already said Nate I'm watching with them. The story is beautiful and the text is touching" she said with a half smile

"It is Italian Serena and I'm sure the few Spanish classes I got won't save me more than two words"

"To understand love you don't need words. It is all said in their eyes" she said excusing herself to leave

* * *

Dan sat there, thinking about the words she has said to him. In the last weeks all she has tried was to show she cared about him but he locked himself and now he could see she was hurt. But how could she think about them when their parents were having sex in the next door? Anyway, it didn't make it any easier to look into her beautiful blue orbs and know that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

He wished he was different, he wished he felt differently about this whole situation but he couldn't help who he was. His moral standards were this high and he was proud to be this guy. How could he date his potential step-sister? What if Lily and Rufus got married and they had to live in the same house? Lily's wedding track wasn't one to be ignored, that was a huge chance they would marry or at least live under the same roof. No, there was no way he would ever feel okay about it. The simply thought made him feel incestuous.

_

* * *

How stubborn can someone be?_ Serena asked to herself. She knew he wanted her but he couldn't get over their parents relationship. Everybody has a right to be happy and he should be happy for their parents and be happy that they got a third chance to make it work between them. So what if they could be step-siblings? She for sure knew worse cases, especially on Upper East Side. People didn't care about these kind of things anymore. They weren't brother and sister and they loved each other, why it had to be so complicated? Why had Dan to be so complicated? She would never ask her mother to give up on Rufus again and she is sure Lily wouldn't consider it either. She was happy for her mother, she was happy for Rufus, she was happy for Eric and Jenny that were closer than ever but she couldn't help but feel deeply sad about how it ruined any chance she got with Dan. They had this beautiful love and forever was only waiting for them and now they were part, probably for the rest of their lives because she knew her mother and she witnessed most of her marriages and relationships and she knew that what she felt for Rufus was bigger than what she felt for anyone before him. Serena believed that he was her mother one true love and that first love is always special and unforgettable but unfortunately this is not how Dan thought. Tired of think about it and to wear her heart down thinking about possibilities that would never come true, she decided she should get ready to the opera. She really enjoyed it and it was one of the few memories she has about her dad before he disappeared. He used to take her to watch some kids' operas and she learned to love it since then.

* * *

"Prepared to your society debut?" asked Jenny excited as she met her father in their kitchen.

"Not so much. I'm a rock singer, what do you think I know about operas? Especially on Italian. It will be a complete disaster but Lily really wants all of us to be there, so I guess I must have to be prepared. I just hope nobody asks me about it or what did I think about this or that act" he said a bit frustrated

"Daddy, I've been enough around this people. You pretend to have an opinion and talk a bit about it, even if it makes no sense, they will pretend they understood and will offer their opinion, you will pretend to agree and everything will be fine" she said taking a look in the dress she designed and made for herself.

"When have become the wiser member of this family?" he asked as Dan entered the room, adjusting his tie

"Since some of you got blind" she said and looked to both men "We should be going, it is rude to be late"

"Fine, Ms. knows-it-all" said Dan rolling his eyes

* * *

Arriving at the theater Rufus quickly found Lily that excused herself and told him she had some business to do with Charles and told Eric to show them the way for their seats.

"Where is Serena?" Jenny asked looking over to her brother

"She is going to be with Nate and Vanessa, in the Archibald's box" Eric shrugged

"No wonder why she doesn't want to stay with us" said Jenny glaring at Dan

"What? This is not my fault" he said defensively

"If you say so" said Jenny

"Kids, I think it is not polite to discuss in the opera" said Rufus smiling to his daughter

"Yeah, let's go" Jenny agreed, shaking her head to Dan

* * *

"Guys, I'm really sorry to be the third wheel but things are still awkward between Dan and I" said Serena as they walked to Nate's family box.

"No problem, Serena, we are here to watch the opera, nothing more" said Nate smiling

"Yeah, Serena, everything is fine" said Vanessa reassuring the blond

"Thank you, guys" she said softly

"It is just like Dan to feel this way about your parents" said Vanessa "He is the most stubborn person I ever met"

"Yeah, but he is right, it is weird to date the son of your mother's boyfriend, isn't?" she asked hoping that maybe someone else thought like her

"I've seen worse" chuckled Nate

"This is who he is Serena, it wouldn't be this big of a deal, but this is who Dan is" she said sympathetically

"I guess you are right" she said as they stepped into their box

* * *

The opera finally started and so Nate and Vanessa make out session. Serena was clearly uncomfortable and didn't know where to look or what to do.

Finally she decided it was best for her to leave. It is not like she was crazy about operas anyway. She decided to be in one of the benches in the hall instead of join her family. She wasn't willing of leaving an awkward situation to get into another.

Dan realized when she left Nate's box but decided to think she had left to go to the restroom. Though he couldn't understand any word in Italian, he indeed could see it all in the looks and gestures in the acts. He could see how much it hurt for the lead male character to be apart of his love. The way the lead female sang sadly a song with some of her maids made Dan think if Serena was this broken because he saw a lot of himself in the guy. He quickly brushed the thought out of his mind.

* * *

After twenty minutes he noticed she hasn't come back yet. He was starting to worry about her but he couldn't move his eyes from the show in front of him. It was one of the most beautiful things he has even seen and suddenly he was imagining how great it would be to watch it with Serena by his side. He looked to his father and Lily and saw how happy they were. He looked to Jenny and Eric and saw how they interacted and loved each other. They were really good friends and for a moment he contemplated if that's not what really matters. Everyone was happy, except for Serena and him, who were miserable. Why would he care if she would potentially be his step-sister? It wasn't like he was dating Jenny. Ugh, it is better to avoid such comparison, it is definitely gross and not he needed some air to forget all these thoughts that he was successfully avoiding for the last weeks, he excused himself saying he needed to go the restroom.

He left his seat and when he was about to reach the main hall he saw her. She was leaned in the wall, in the very back of the theatre and he could see how touched she was by the show. Not being able to control himself anymore he walked straight to her direction.

"Hi" he said shyly

"Hey" she answered wiping her tears

"It is really beautiful, one of the most beautiful things I've seen" he said looking to the stage

"Yeah, it is. Love is always beautiful to watch not so much to live though" she said trying to concentrate herself on the stage as well

"Serena…" he started

"No Dan, it is okay, I should get back to the box, I see that Nate and Vanessa finally decided to watch the opera instead of behave like fifteen years old" she said smiling slightly

In the stage the hero was visiting secretly his girl and Dan could see he was proclaiming his love and devotion to her. Feeling like he couldn't make it anymore he reached for Serena's hand before she could leave. He saw her teary eyes, he softly slid his finger through her cheek and when the tears finally rolled he wiped them not losing her eyes for one second. Slowly he got closer and closer until their forehands touched

Not knowing what to say or what to do any longer, Dan just followed his heart and brushed softly his lips against hers.

* * *

AN: I am way late, I know, but I wanted their first kiss in this story to be special. I feel that this chapter still didn't work out like I wanted but I decided it is best to give you guys something instead of wait for inspiration to write something better.

Next let's see how they handle the kiss. This is about a kiss, not any reunion, not yet, I should warn you.


	10. The Kiss Part II

**

* * *

Forever is About to Start**

**Chapter 10 - The Kiss - Part II**

* * *

It was tentative at first. That taste was long time missed and now it was as it was as if they did it for a lifetime. Her soft lips, her sweet taste, the goose bumps he had, everything about her was perfect and he missed every feeling rising on his soul in that moment. For a moment life seemed to be complete again. For a moment he felt he truly belonged there and nowhere else. Nothing could distract him from all those emotions. He felt her hands softly caressing his hair, on his nape. The touch of her hands sent winces to his spine. It was impossible to explain all feelings that were running through his body. His manhood immediately responded and pressured her waist. His hands reached her hips and never left from there. He held her closer because he wanted to make their bodies only one, merged with love, attraction and pleasure.

It was totally unexpected, she didn't see it coming, now in that moment, nor ever. The past weeks Dan made it clear how he felt about their parents' relationship and avoided her the best he could. In the flat, in her house, in the school. He barely greeted her and every single time after a half smile he looked to the tip of his shoes and excused himself to go.

She was hopeless she would ever fell again this arousal and the love they share in a single kiss. He kept a slow pace that she didn't dare to speed up. She wanted to cherish that moment as it was her last breath of life. Millions of thoughts crossed her mind but she quickly dismissed them all. She only wanted to feel her body responding to each movement of his lips, to his hands loosely hanging on her hips. She felt the urge to touch him and resting one of her hands on his chest, she moved the other to the back of his neck. She remembered how much he liked her to caress him in that exact spot. She knew everything about him, about his body. His scent on her nostrils and his hot breath sweetly kissing her made her wet. His innocent and pure moves had always turned her on. He didn't need to chase her tongue or do kiss her just below her ears to let her crazy. The electricity they shared when their lips touched was more than enough to make their bodies beg for each other. She felt even wetter when he suddenly pulled her closer and she felt his hard member on her belly. It seemed like nothing had changed and that their bodies, their lips and hands were still a perfect match.

Feeling her slow and almost imperceptive movements that made her brush softly against him was more than he could resist. Pushing her against the wall, he didn't care if anyone was looking at them, he didn't know if the act has finished or not. There wasn't time or place, only the two of them. Tightening the hold of her hips he pressured himself against her really hard. His tongue asked for entrance, which she didn't deny and their tongues started the hot and wet dance that always seemed to be rehearsed for all their lives. The temperature of their bodies rose and the desire was now taking the best of them.

Trying to keep his mind he loosened the grip and slowed down again the pace of his movements on her mouth.

Feeling that the kiss was coming to an end she held him tight and they broke apart.

"I miss you" he muttered with his eyes still closed and their foreheads almost touching

"I miss you too" she said leaning on him

He embraced her and breathed her perfume. She smelled strawberries, the same smell that unmercifully seduced him once.

Feeling her heart beating fast against his chest he realized what he has just done. Guilt took him and he felt like he was kidding with her feelings. He had no right to ignore her for weeks and suddenly just kiss her like that. He had lost track of time but it was a quite long kiss.

"Serena" he whispered against her hair

Recognizing the serious tone of his voice she knew what was coming next.

"I love you" he surprisingly said as his eyes was filled with tears he was fighting against them to fall. She only nodded and held him closer

"I want to be with you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I wish you were my wife, the mother of my kids, I want to grow old with you and to take care of you every single day, until the end of life" he confessed as the first tears finally rolled

Sensing that he had more to say, she squeezed his arm softly, letting him know she was listening to everything he had to say before saying anything back.

"You are the kindest person I've ever known. Forgiving, understanding, lovely and with the greatest heart in the world" he said against her hair

"I am so selfish, so judgmental, so stubborn, so undeserving of you. I wish I could be different, I wish everything was different"

"Dan, you are a great person, you changed my world, you changed my life for good and for better. I love you, Dan"

"Serena, I can't, I am sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you" he said releasing her "I am sorry" he said one more time as he left her there, the tears now rolling over her porcelain face.

* * *

He was now running, he needed air, he needed to go outside. He didn't care if he was losing the opera or that his father and Lily were waiting for him to come back. When he finally was outside the theater he bent his back and held his knees with both of his hands trying hard to breathe, just breathe.

He never felt so happy and so miserable at the same time. Hold her and kiss her was the best feeling in the world. He could only remember how perfect was to make love to her. She was more than his muse. She was his soul mate, his half, she was it for him. He wanted to have a life with her. With the end of their senior year coming all he wanted were for them to share an apartment and just be happy. Maybe if they both get into Yale things could change. They would live away from their parents, somewhere where it would be only the two of them. She was the only thing he needed in his life, she was everything he needed in his life.

Walking down the street, with the cold breeze blowing in his face he felt warmed. The warmness of her lips was still on his, or at least this was how he felt anyway. Her touch was like magic, it changed everything not in gold, but in joy, happiness, fullness and life.

_Is it really worthy? Why should I give up on the only thing that really keeps me alive? I don't want to simply survive anymore. I can't just walk through my life as if I didn't __know how it really feels. I can only feel it with her._

Not realizing where he was heading he found himself unconsciously walking to Central Park. When he finally arrived there, he realized it and the memories just rushed his thoughts. Her smile, her giggle, her eyes, the wind on her hair, their hands locked.

How could he live without it? How could he go through life without her? Who was he kidding? And who cares if their parents were dating? It didn't make them siblings it could be weird but their love was definitely bigger than anything else and it would survive it. Finally coming to the conclusion he heart pleaded him to take, Dan decided to come back to the theatre and finally give in. He couldn't live without her no matter what happened. Even if somehow they proved they were brother and sister, who cares, what they feel for each other are definitely not fraternal feelings and he was tired of fighting against. Drained. It was like the life in him was took way and he was now just surviving. He loved Serena and they already wasted too much time and nothing would keep him from her. He just hoped that she still felt the same way, he just hoped that the words she said to him almost an hour ago were still true. He knew he might have hurt her when he left her there, all by herself, rejected by his stubbornness.

Almost running he made his way back the faster he could praying for the Opera have not ended but when he reached there , the empty building said it all. She was gone but he wasn't giving up. He took way too much time to finally take this decision and he wouldn't give up, no matter what.

He quickly took his cell phone as he waved to a cab.

"Jenny, where are you?" he asked as his sister answered

"Heading the penthouse, we got tired to look and wait for you and Lily had an announcement to do" she answered showing all her annoyance on her brother

"Is she with you?" he asked shyly

"What did you do to her this time? She was also missing and when she finally showed up, she looked like a train wreck, her eyes puff and red. In fact the only reason she is here is because Lily really insisted. By the way dad is really mad you didn't pick your phone" she said rolling her eyes

Looking at his cell phone he realized he had 15 missed calls and all of them from his dad and Lily

"Tell them I am arriving in 10 minutes" he said and hung up and giving the driver the directions

His heart dropped at his sister's words. He felt horrible for making Serena cry, she didn't deserve to ever drop a tear. She was his angel, she was his soul mate and his job was to protect her and make her happy. Making her cry her eyes off wasn't the plan and now he was mad at himself.

* * *

_AN: I am so sorry I couldn't keep my word and give you an update sooner. The good news is that I am working on the next chapter, which will be called The Brothers and will be posted way before than took this one. I hope you liked it and I really thank you for the reviews. Keep them coming._


	11. The Brothers

**

* * *

Forever is About to Start**

**Chapter 11 - The Brothers**

* * *

He arrived at Lily's in no time and it seemed like the elevator never took so much time to reach the penthouse.

He stormed in the house and all eyes were on him.

"Where have you been? Why didn't you answer your phone?"

"Dad I am not in the mood, I was in the middle of something but I am here now" he said as his eyes flew in the room looking for her but she was nowhere to be seen

"I am happy you made it, Daniel" said Lily "Could you please get Serena? She is on her bedroom"

"Sure" he said relieved to know she was still there

He reached her bedroom door and softly knocked waiting for her response

"Eric, tell mom I am going" she said opening the door for Dan thinking it was her brother who usually was sent to get her

She had her back to him as she walked back to her bed and took something to wipe the tears of her face "I'll just splash some water on my face" she said sensing he hasn't come back to the living room

"I am sorry" he muttered loud enough for her to listen

She stopped wiping her face immediately and turned to look at him,the sight of her broken face was like a knife stabbing his heart especially because he knew he was the reason of her tears

"Not now, Dan, please leave me alone" she said walking to the door and showing him the way out of her bedroom

"Please, Serena, we need to talk, I couldn't think straight in front of you with the taste of your mouth still on my lips, listen to me" he pleaded reaching for her

"It seems like my mom has something really important to say, even Chuck is here, so if you don't mind I will splash some water on my face and meet everyone, can't you wait until tomorrow to make a fool of me again? It is not like you didn't do today already" she said avoiding his eyes and moving towards the bathroom

"I want you back" he blurted "I need you back in my life, I can't just keep breathing, I need to live and for this I need you with me" he said holding her arm. She stopped on her tracks but didn't say anything

"I was an idiot and then a jerk but I've finally seen what was so clear right in front of me, I can't live without you, Serena" he said

Her eyes lit up, she was expecting him to only apologize for his instincts to kiss her and she never thought he would really change his mind

"I can only ask you to forgive me, Serena, I am so sorry I hurt you but I want to make up for you for the rest of my live if you let me too" he said looking straight to her eyes

She wouldn't fight her heart, she had already taken all the pain she could handle and she wouldn't waste one more second before giving them a second chance

"I couldn't ask for more" she said and when they were about to kiss Chuck interrupted

"It seems like your mother really needs both of you there, sister, so you might let your make out session for later" he said smirking

"Nothing will break us apart again, I swear to you" Dan whispered squeezing her hand as they held hands and walked to the living room

Somehow their hands were unnoticed by Lily and Rufus that were tense about the news they were about to break.

"Bart and I really wanted us to be a family and before his death we decided we would make it legal as well. He has signed the papers to adopt Serena and Eric and today I finally signed the papers to adopt Charles" she said looking to her new son "I really care about you, Charles and I couldn't be happier for us to finally work it out and for you to understand that I never meant to hurt your father and that what happened was a horrible accident" she completed as Chuck looked both comforted and uncomfortable

Eric was the first one to hug Chuck and show his happiness. As Serena whispered a _welcome to the family, again_

"So Charles is moving in to live with us" Lily concluded

"That's not all we have to tell you guys" said Rufus

"Please don't tell you are getting married" said Eric clearly joking

"Not yet, but now you blew our next announcement next week" said Lily following her son's tone and then looking for Rufus for help, receiving his nod to go ahead

"I really don't know how to break it for you" Lily started and was interrupted by her boyfriend

"I'll take it from now" said Rufus squeezing her arm softly "Back when Lily and I dated, she got pregnant. I had no idea about it and as you can imagine Cece wasn't really happy about it" Rufus said, letting everyone speechless

"Anyway I gave birth to a boy that was given to adoption" Lily said staring down and the room remained silent for a few minutes. Everyone looked to the others but no one found a word to say, not to judge, not to support her. They were astonished.

After the thick silence Rufus finally broke it "Before Christmas I found out about the pregnancy and the adoption and that's why I cut Lily out of my life. I traveled to Chicago to find him but I was totally unsuccessful"

"But tonight, during the opera, we got a phone call, the parents finally accepted to talk to us. We are going to meet your brother" Lily said and Serena and Dan's hands immediately broke apart.

A shared sibling was more than they could handle in that moment

After a few minutes Dan was finally able to find his voice

"What did you just say?" he asked

"I know this is shocking and unexpected but we felt like we should share it with you, no more secrets" said Rufus, encouraging his girlfriend

"Mom, I can't believe you" was all Serena said

"Serena, please, I was too young and I really didn't have strength to fight Cece, you know how obstinate and hard she can be"

"So we share a brother?" asked Dan to his father and moving his hands to show Serena, Eric and Jenny

"His name is Scott and we are going to Chicago tomorrow to meet his parents and hopefully they will agree with us seeing him" Rufus announced

"And do you really expect him to just have his arms wide open to both of you?" Dan asked "Because dad, I am you son for almost 18 years and I am not taking this well, at all" he said looking to Serena but still unable to reach for her hand

"We know it won't be easy Daniel and we are not waiting for forgiveness just now. All we are asking is for a chance to know him but if he doesn't want to meet us we will back off for a while"

"For a while?" Serena asked "Do you think you can mess up with everyone's life and just give them a few days or weeks to accept it? Don't you see what you are doing is just selfish? You don't even know about the adoption and you are already making your plans as if the world should just fit to your wishes, guess what mom, sometimes it doesn't because sometimes you mess things up really bad and we can't just change our lives to fit your wishes" Serena said leaving to her bedroom

"I go talk to her but dad, Serena is right, you guys need to think about everybody else who is involved in this story and not only yourself. I know you are hurt because you found out you have a missed son but you could really just make it worse to everyone else, including you and Lily" he said before following Serena

* * *

"Serena, it is me, open the door please" he said after he knocked her door

"How are you?" he asked as soon as she opened it and let him in

"I don't know, I am just confused and angry" she said collapsing on her bed

There were a silence between them that lasted at least ten minutes but none of them knew how to break it. The situation was awkward enough without a sibling and now it looked a hundred times worse.

"They could say you and I are brother and sister, I don't care anymore Serena" he said after their long silence

"What we feel for each other is what matters and I know we feel anything but like siblings. We love each other like man and woman and I may have taken too much to make up my mind about it but now I am convinced that I can't be happy without you, as my girlfriend, I won't let it go, I still want to be with you Serena" he rambled reaching for her hand but she immediately slip it away from his touch

"Sorry Dan, but I can't have this conversation right now. Today was a long day and I felt we finally made it just to feel a few minutes later that we were as impossible to happen as never before. I am not ready to deal with a brother that my mom gave to adoption let alone share him with you. Please I need some time and space now" she said as a tear rolled from her face

"I am here for you, Serena, no matter what. If you need a friend, I'll be the friend you need, if you need a boyfriend, I'm more ready than ever to take the job." He said taking her hand again and kissing it

"Now if you need a brother, please, call Eric, even Chuck, because no matter how the world wants us to feel like brother and sister I can't imagine my body reacting to Jenny as it does for you" he said chucking

"Eww, this is gross Dan" she said playfully hitting his arm

"At least I could see your beautiful smile again" he said brushing the hair of her face

"Thank you" she murmured

After another moment of silence, when he kept holding her hand and stroking it, he spoke again

"So what will it be?" he asked

"How come from night to day I have so many brothers" she asked smirking

"I hope I am not part of the list" he said

"Even Chuck is my brother now" she said giggling and crying

"That's not a great addition if you ask me" he joked

"And still I feel like a need one of them with me" she said reassuming her serious tone

"One of your brothers?" he asked trying to follow her

"Yeah, it has always been only me and Eric and now there is Chuck, maybe this Scott boy and even you and Jenny"

"I'd appreciate if wasn't in this list, as I told you, I can't fantasize about my sister, it is just gross" he joked

"So maybe I should go to Chuck's bedroom and sleep with him because I don't want to sleep all by myself tonight" she said half joking, half serious

"I was never gladder to sleep with my sis than now" he joked again, getting himself comfortable on her bed

"Eww. That is just becoming grosser and grosser" she smirked

"I told you, I am here for you, no matter how you want me and I drop the comment for you to call Eric or Chuck if you need a brother" he said still joking about their situation, it was the best he could do now

"I always dreamed about a big family, a whole family that I never had since my dad left us. None of my mother's husbands filled it and every time, Eric and I felt more lonely than before and now Chuck is moving in, I have a missed brother and probably our parents will get married and we will be living in the same house, all of us, a big family, like in my dreams when I was little" she opened her heart

"You make it sounds like a good thing, I am confused, should I be happy or sad that we will be a big happy, crazy family?" he asked

"The problem is that every time I was closer for life be better somehow things got wrong and it was worse than before and I was alone, does Georgina rings a bell?"

"I am here now and I am not leaving, you won't lose me again"

"I am not sure if I can date my potential brother" she said serious

"Then for now I am happy to be the potential brother that won't let you feel alone"

* * *

Dan kissed her forehead and left to let his father know he would be with Serena for the night letting no room for discussions

When he came back she was already on her pajamas and had got some of her brother clothes for him to sleep comfortably

"They might be a bit tight but Chuck doesn't have any more clothes in the house" she said softly

"It is very nice, thanks" he said getting the clothes to change himself in the washroom across of her room

"It is not like I haven't seen it before" she said from behind of her comforter

"I don't want you to have erotic dreams about your brother" he joked

"Definitely not" she said getting her head also behind of the comforter as he changed himself

"You will never be alone again, S" he said climbing on her bed and stretching his arm for her to rest her head on his shoulder "I promise you"

"Thank you for being here"

"I don't belong anywhere else" he said kissing her forehead and she laid with her head on his chest and they spent some minutes comfortably on silence

"I hope this is the last night we play house, because I don't have any humor left to make jokes about my hot almost-maybe-who-knows-sister-very-very-hot"

"Shut up" she said as he reached to turn off the lights

That night they slept on each other arms and it was the best night of the last months. The awkward situation they were definitely made they feel uneasy around each other but if their love was meant to be, somehow they would get over it. At any point the jokes about their familiar status won't be able to keep them from facing the reality and deep inside both of them just hoped they could make it. Not as brother and sister but as boyfriend and girlfriend but tomorrow was still unknown land to the cozy sleeping lovers.

* * *

AN: I really don't remember where Scott and his family live, so in this fic is Chicago. I know reading the sibling talk might sound gross and weird but I meant this 'scene' to very light and definitely to keep the joking tone. They did a lemonade of what they had that night. Serena was afraid that once again her mother's actions would affect her and Eric as it did so many times before and now it wasn't only them but also Rufus, Jenny and especially Dan. Dan didn't want to put any thinking about it because he took weeks to make a decision over their parents relationship and if he thought about Scott now maybe he would turn back to his own stubborn self but he wasn't willing to be apart of Serena anymore. I won't give you the next chapter title because it would be a huge spoiler but I am already working on it. In fact I am trying to be in a roll and write as much as I can so I won't take too much time to update it.


	12. The Reunion

**

* * *

Forever is About to Start**

**Chapter 12 - The Reunion**

* * *

"Good morning, sleepy head" he greeted the beautiful blond

"Hey, you are still here, what time is it?" she said as her eyes got used to the light

"Sure I am. I was serious last night about never leaving you alone" he said walking to get his cell phone over the table "It is 12:30pm"

"Wow I really slept, when did you wake up?" she asked still tossing on her bed

"9:45, I think" he said nonchalantly

"And what have you been doing every since then?" she asked curious

"I was starving so I had breakfast with your mother and brother and that wasn't awkward at all" he said with the best of his sarcasm

"Surely it became better after Chuck walked a woman to the door. Your mother really appreciated her outfit"

"And this was only the first night" she giggled

"Yeah, anyway I quickly made my way back here and got a book to read, your things were in the floor and I also have to read that book to my literature class so I was saving me some time"

"No problem, you can make my paper about it if you want" she smirked finally motioning to leave her bed

"Are you going to change? Do you want me to go?" he asked standing up from the chair he was sit

"Where does it leave us, Dan?" she asked sitting in the edge of her bed, the closest to him as she could from her bed

He reached for the door, he purposefully let open after he came back from breakfast to ensure to anyone he wasn't sleeping with Serena, they just shared the bed.

After closing the door he moved to the bed where she was sit and sat by her side

"I don't know" he said honestly looking to his hands

"What if they get married? And if this Scott is just mad on his adoptive parents and decides to give it a shot here? What would it be to us?" she asked frustrated and sad

"I think we can only wait and see. We don't know what will happen, S. We don't know if our parents will work out, we don't know if Scott's parents will allow them to meet him, we don't even know if he still lives in Chicago" he said

"And what will we be doing while it all happens?" she asked

"We've broke up and been apart for months and it never felt right as it did last night, when I kissed you, when I slept with you on my arms" he confessed

"I know, I feel the same way" she said looking at him

Sensing she was staring at him he finally looked up to her

"We shouldn't give up on us because we don't know how it will be tomorrow. We shouldn't give up on us because things might be weird and complicated"

"You are right"

"We love each other, Serena and though last night I said I could be the brother you need, I can't. I can be your friend, your best friend but not your brother. I love you, I want to make love to you, I want to kiss you and you can count on me when you need a friend but I will never be able to look at you the same way I look at Jenny or Vanessa" he said looking straight in her eyes

"I know you can't act like my brother. I can't either, Dan but I don't know if I can handle it. I won't ever feel like your sister but everything around us is moving to this direction. We may be together on a relationship but to the outside, we would be siblings, that even share a real sibling. We will probably live under the same roof, with Jenny, Eric and even Chuck all feeling like our brothers and how come we will hold hands? It won't be hard only for us but also for them"

"We will be on college next year Serena, it might be easier because we won't be here. We are only a few months away to graduation and then we will be away from incest environment" he said

"Yeah I know but should we wait until there to get back together? As you said it is only a few months and if my mom keeps her track, she will be living with your father before we graduate" she pointed out

"I don't know if I can wait until there, especially if we are living in the same house. I can't see you and do not want to touch you. I can't smell your scent and do not want to kiss you. I can't see your sparkling eyes and to not want to make love to you" he pleaded

"I don't think I can't do it either. When you touch me like now" she said referring to the hand he had on her arm "I feel the electricity running on my body. I wince, I have goose bumps all over my skin" she said

"And what do you feel if I get closer?" he said as he moved his body closer to hers

"My heart races and it seems like it will jump out of my chest" she said looking at his eyes

"And if I go even closer?" he said moving his head to her hair and breathing her scent

Feeling his hot breath on her neck made Serena close her eyes and she felt herself getting wet inside

"I… I… feel…" she tried to make words but totally failed

"I love you" he said kissing her warm skin "I love you Serena and I will always do"

"Love… ya… too" she murmured breathing really hard as he trailed kisses on her neck and ears

"I think this is our answer" he said laying her in the bed and kissing passionately her lips leading her to only nod her head positively

"Did you lock the door?" she asked as they broke apart to get some air

"Just on my way" he said standing up and locking the door and already taking rid of his shirt

He laid over her and their kisses were getting hotter and hotter

"Are you on birth control?" he murmured between kisses

"Yeah" she groaned as he cupped both of her breasts under her pajama

"Do you want this?" he said pulling her pajama's top so he could kiss her flat stomach and just after it, her breasts

"Yes, yes" she moaned "I want you, Dan" she said arching her body as her arousal took the best of her

Not wasting any more time, he pulled her top over head and also took off her pants. Her body was perfect. He has always been mesmerized at how great she looked. She wasn't like many skinny girls he saw on school or magazines. She had curves, her body was hot and he loved it. Her breasts were perfect. The perfect size, the perfect format, the perfect softness. Her skin was like velvet and he would touch and caress it till the end of times. Her belly was flat and perfect and all he wanted was to drink of the sweet taste of her on her bellybutton. The way she tossed her body when he kissed her spots drove him crazy. She moved her hips and body in such a sensual dance which, he was totally sure, she had no idea of how hot it was.

After spending a good time exploring her upper body he slowly trailed kisses until the hem of her panties. She wasn't wearing any fancy or sexy panties, just white cotton underwear which wasn't that small in fact but it just made her even sexier. She just looked perfect and he wouldn't be distracted by some fancy piece of clothes because he had the most beautiful body that ever walked on earth just behind his lips and he wanted nothing more than feel her body on him

"Please Dan" she begged "I need you. Inside of me. Now" she murmured breathing heavily between each word.

"I want you too Serena" he said discarding his remaining clothes as he knelt in the bed

Opening her eyes for the first time since he started to kiss her, Serena felt her arousal growing as she looked at his manhood. His body was perfect. He wasn't too much muscled like a freak gym guy and he was far from skinny. He was just muscled in the right measure. She didn't feel afraid of him hurting her with his huge cock. She felt like he was just gentle and rough as he could be. Not resisting, she in one move, she rolled over him, being on top of him

"You drive me crazy" she said willing to feel his taste, to feel him inside of her

Not able to control herself she kissed his pecs and went down to his abs and even downer until she finally reached what she was looking for. Not hesitating for a moment she started kissing his head and she already could taste his first cum. His moans and groans just turned her on even more as she stroked him with her hands while licking, kissing and sucking the head of his cock. It has been a long time and all the desire she suppressed in the last months took the best of her and she felt like she couldn't wait to have all of him.

Feeling how wild and uncontrollable she was drove Dan crazy and when he was close to release he quickly moved away from her mouth and hands

"I want you, Serena" he said, his eyes dark with pleasure

"Take me Dan, make me yours, only yours" she said as he slowly laid her on her back again and positioned himself between her legs

"I love you" he said as he kissed her lips and then her neck

"I love you, Daniel, take me, make me yours, make me scream you name, take me Dan" she pleaded and he couldn't resist anymore

As much as he wanted to just move inside of her he knew she hasn't had sex in a long time and he didn't want to hurt her

He moved one of his hands down to her wetness and softly and slowly thrust one finger into her, then other as his thumb rubbed her clit. He could feel her hot milk and it seemed like she has never been so wet and her moans just proved him how much pleasure she was having. Feeling like her inside walls were more relaxed he knew she was prepared to receive something bigger then his two fingers.

Moving his wet fingers from her folds to taste her milk he was surprised by her faster moves "I want you now" she said and licked his fingers. He couldn't resist anymore, her soft lips on his fingers wet by her milk was it for him. Not having time to think he finally downed his body and thrust her in one single move making her scream his name in pleasure. He knew she didn't feel any pain because she was so wet that he hard and big cock just slid inside of her. In. Out. In. Out. They found a hallucinating rhythm that drove both of them to the climax very soon. He felt her walls getting tighter against his manhood and he couldn't hold himself anymore. As he felt her release, he followed releasing as well.

Totally drained he laid over her and they spent some minutes getting their breath back

"It was just amazing" he said a few moments later as he kissed her breast

"It was the best sex of my life" she said stroking his hair

He finally found strength enough to raise his head and look at her "I love you, this way, this kind of love" he said moving his hand to rub her hair

"Me too and I don't think it will ever change"

"We were made to be boyfriend and girlfriend, lovers, we can't deny it, Serena"

"We won't, not anymore, we will never be apart anymore, Dan" she said looking deep in his eyes

"Good, because I don't want anything else of my life, except make love to you"

"Neither do I" she said before their lips touched again

They kissed until the tiredness of spending more than an hour making love knocked them out and they slept on each other's arms.

* * *

_AN: I hope you guys enjoyed their reunion. I am not sure if I should go on with this fic, as in my original plan and outline, or if I just end it here. Last chapter I received only a couple of reviews and I feel you guys are not with me anymore. Anyway, as I am not sure if I'll keep it going, you can consider it the end, though when I am sure I won't write anything else, I'll change the status to completed. Thanks for those who read and especially reviewed these 12 chapters._


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